A Wicked Game
by itsmorgan
Summary: Katniss has been in control of her family's life since the untimely passing of her father. She likes being in control but maybe all Katniss needs to finally find a piece of mind is to hands the reigns over to someone else for a little while. [based off of 50 shades of grey]
1. Million Dollar Man

**Starting a new fic, surprise surprise. This one is based off of the books 50 shades of grey. I really wanted to focus on Peeta's 'mutt' side and came up with this sexy little number. The title is from the song Wicked Game covered by Gemma Hayes, it's a beautiful song in my opinion.**

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><p>I look at the reflection of my little sister in my mirror above my antique dresser. She crawled into my bed at around midnight with a fever and a raging cough, crying about her body aching all over. Ever since we can both remember, whenever she was sick, which was a lot when she was younger, she'd crawl into my bed instead of our parents, especially after our father died and our mother checked out.<p>

Prim smiles weakly up at me, her pale face even paler. "Thank you for doing this for me."

"It's fine."

"No it's not. I know how much you hate talking to people."

She's right, I loathe talking to people. I much rather spend my time safe in the homemade bubble that I surround myself, with only Prim and my best friend Gale to talk to. I hadn't always been a recluse; it's just another thing that's changed since that day when I was twelve years old.

"I just need your interview questions and I'll be fine. Do you want me to pick you up some soup when I'm finished?" I watch as Prim shakes her head no. "I'll bring you in some medicine before I leave though, okay?"

"Thank you," she croaks.

I feel bad for her really, that's why I'm doing this for her. That and I'd do anything for my sister. But if I'm being truthful when she asked me to take her place in interviewing _Seattle's Most Eligible Bachelor _(or that is what I've heard Prim say yet I still have no idea who Peeta Mellark is), I did consider saying no. But it wasn't like anyone else could do it and Prim needed it for school, so I bit back my own fears and issues and nodded my head yes.

I finish getting dressed, borrowing Prim's clothing because it wouldn't be appropriate to meet a multi-millionaire in torn up jeans, a Seattle University hoodie, and Converses. Instead I stole a charcoal gray pencil skirt, forest green chiffon blouse that I've tucked in, and ridiculous heels that Prim always walks in so flawlessly. I considered doing my hair but it's still braided and resting over my right shoulder, as it always is. Prim is asleep again by the time I set the cough syrup on the nightstand along with a little note for her to read when she wakes up. Hopefully she stays asleep until I return home.

Mellark Enterprises is located in the heart of Seattle. It's not too has from the subdivision I live in with my mother and Prim located on the west side of the city. Even still with its close distance, I've somehow managed to be late as I throw my old truck into park in the parking garage across the street and barely take the keys from the ignition before I'm running towards the building, not bothering to for cars as I cross the street.

A red haired girl with porcelain skin greets me with a smile from behind an impressive sandstone desk.

"Welcome to Mellark Enterprises, how may I help you?"

"Uh," I stutter. "I have an appointment with Mr. Mellark. I'm Katniss Everdeen for Primrose Everdeen."

"One moment please," the girl says before picking up a phone and dials a few numbers after putting it up to her ear. "I have a Ms. Everdeen here saying she has an appointment with Mr. Mellark." She pauses as she listens to whoever is at the other end of the line. "Okay, thank you."

After she hangs up the phone again she smiles at me once more. "If you could just sign in here," she hands me a clipboard, "then take the elevator to the twentieth floor, Meredith will assist you from there. Have a great day."

"Thank you," I say before scurrying to the elevator.

Meredith, on the twentieth floor, is another young girl with beautiful ebony skin and black hair with brown eyes that are hidden behind stylish glasses. "Good morning, Ms. Everdeen. Mr. Mellark is expecting you; you can just go ahead in."

I'm flustered but I nod my head as I work my way to the large oak double doors quickly, tripping on the stubborn heals I'm wearing and tumbling head first into the large office.

"Shit," I mutter to myself. The notecards of Prim's that I had been holding in my hand scatter across the white marble floor. I scramble on my hands and knees trying my fastest to pick them up without causing an even bigger scene that I've already had.

I stop immediately when highly polished black dress shoes appear in front of me. I audibly gulp and timidly look up to see a much younger man than expected and far more handsome than the image I conjured up of him in my head. He holds out a hand to help me up and I take it.

"Sorry Sir," I mutter quickly. "I'm not normally this klutzy."

He clears his throat before speaking, "It's quite alright Primrose."

"Actually Sir, its Katniss. I'm Primrose's sister; she is very ill and couldn't make but does send her deepest apologies. She has been looking forward to meeting you."

"Well then send her my regards, _Katniss_. Please have a seat," Mr. Mellark ushers me to the large black chairs that are positioned near the floor to ceiling windows that showcases the bay perfectly.

I sit in the chair across from him and before I get the tape recorder out of my large bag I take in the man to be Peeta Mellark. He's too handsome to be considered a person really. He's more God-like. Broad shoulders hidden underneath of a well trailered suit jacket. I hate to even think what else that jacket is hiding, he probably works out religiously. His jaw looks to be chiseled out of marble, square and manly. His blonde, tousled hair reminds me of a frat boy, but it also makes me want to run my fingers through it just to see if it's as soft as it really seems. It's not until I get to Mr. Mellark's eyes that my heart stops. I thought Prim had bright blue eyes but they are nothing compared the crystal ones that I'm staring at now. They are truly captivating, how the bright morning sun reflects off of them like they are mirrors of the Caribbean Sea.

"Ms. Everdeen?" Mr. Mellark interrupts my daydream.

"Oh yes, right," I remind myself to get the voice recorder out. "Do you mind if I record this? It'll just be for future references, no one but my sister will be hearing it."

"It's fine."

I nod my head and push the button with the red circle on it, the clicks making the ancient machine coming to life.

"So," I begin as I look down that the note cards that I've done a horrible job of putting back into order. Oh well. "Mr. Mellark, you are the sole owner of Mellark Enterprises, which is one of the wealthiest enterprises not only in the United States, but in the world. When you first started, did you ever think that it would be at the magnitude that it is today?"

"I don't think anyone would have guessed it. If someone would have told eighteen year old me that I'd go from gambling on owning a mom and pop diner in a sketchy part of Seattle to being on the cover of magazines, I'd have laughed in their face."

"Do you find it humbling that you started with nothing?"

"Very humbling," Mr. Mellark answers. "I was homeless at one time, so that is why I donate a lot of my time and money to schools and various charities. I know what it feels like to be cold, hungry and everyone telling you that your ideas and dreams are pointless. Every child should have a chance to make their dreams come true; their background shouldn't hinder it from happening."

His answer isn't one that I was expecting. "Is that why you bought Capitol High School all new text books as well as funding the arts programs?"

Mr. Mellark nods. "It was actually your sisters doing. She had e-mailed my assistant at the beginning of the school year talking about how generous I've been and that her school is in need of assistance because the government cannot provide them with enough money for many of the basic things."

"Without your contribute to the school, there wouldn't have been a homecoming, Prom or even a graduation ceremony, let alone any extracurricular activities."

"Extracurricular activities are very important. They kept my brother and me off the streets and on the right path. I wrestled while he was on the swim team. Without those, I know that we would be living very differently than how we are today."

"You were adopted, correct?"

"Yes, as well as my brother and sister. They were both adopted at birth while I was adopted when I was seven."

"Do you think that has shaped you in anyway?"

Mr. Mellark rests his elbow on the arm of the chair and rubs his stubbly chin with his pointer finger. I can tell that he's not comfortable with this topic but it's a question that is written on the card and I'm not going to not ask it.

"I don't remember a time before my mother, father and siblings so I have no way of knowing if it shaped me in anyway."

It's me nodding my head this time. Before I'm able to ask my next question a soft knock comes from the large oak doors I stumbled through not too long ago before they open and Meredith pokes her head in.

"Mr. Mellark, your next appointment is here."

"I'm not finished with Ms. Everdeen; will you reschedule and apologize for me?"

"Certainly."

Once the door is closed again I speak. "We can finish here if this is an inconvenience for you. I'm sure Prim has enough material here to write something for her school editorial."

"Its fine, Katniss," he smiles a white-tooth smile. "Besides, I'd like to know a little bit more about you."

I pause, probably looking like a scared deer in headlights. Why does this man want to know about me? That is not how one-sided interviews go. "Uh, there isn't a lot to know about me."

"I'm sure there is. Are you in school?"

"I'm graduating this year from Seattle University."

"What is your major?"

"Environmental Sciences," I answer.

"Interesting, and what do you plan on doing once you graduate?"

"There is a company that I have an interview with after graduation that deals with finding new ways to use reusable energy."

"That's great. I'm always looking at new ways to get Mellark Enterprises to go greener. Maybe, we can find a way to work together in the not so distant future."

"I'd like that very much, Sir."

Mr. Mellark smirks and gives me a look that makes me squirm in my seat. That yearning to run my fingers through his hair is back and I have to force myself not to reach out for him. I bit my bottom lip but the moment Mr. Mellark makes a pointed look at me I release it.

"Is that all, Ms. Everdeen?" he asks in a sultry voice.

"Uh, yes," I answer far too quickly. "But I was supposed to ask if you were willing to pose for a photo for the school year book as well as the pamphlet they will be passing out at graduation?"

"It would be my pleasure. My assistant, Meredith will set it up for us, if you would just give her the information needed."

We stand from our chairs at the same time. Mr. Mellark holds out his hand for me to shake. I take it, and we hold onto each other for a beat too long as Mr. Mellark continues to make eye contact with me that leaves me breathless. If his business somehow fails, I'm sure he'd have no troubles convincing people that he was a hypnotist.

Placing a hand on the small of my back, he guides me to the doors. "To make sure you do not trip again," he smirks as he follows me out into the lobby with his hand still on my back to keep my balance.

"Thank you."

"I'll be seeing you, Katniss Everdeen," he tells me before he disappears into his office and closes the doors behind him.

_I'll be seeing you._ What does that mean? When will he be seeing me? I give Meredith Prim's cell phone number for the proper information for the photos. And when she asks for my own cell phone number, I give it to her without much thought.

Prim is awake and lounging on the couch when I get home. She looks only a fraction better than she did this morning, but at least she got up and moved around a bit. We smile at each other, no need for any further greetings. I make sure I graze her forehead with the back of my hand to take her temperature before making my way into the kitchen.

I'm surprised to see my mom sitting at the small table, looking over mail, probably bills.

"I thought you were working a double today," I say as I reach to grab a cup from the top shelf of the cupboard.

"I'm working first and third that way I can catch a nap between. I was going to just sleep at the hospital but Prim called asking to bring her stronger medicine that way she can go back to school tomorrow."

I nod my head as I sip the water from my glass. It's awkward being around my mom. We have nothing in common to talk about, nothing but Prim, and there is only so much we can talk about when it comes to her.

I always favored my dad. It's probably because I'm the female duplicate of him. I got his olive skin, dark brown hair, steel colored eyes, and love for the great outdoors. Before he passed, my dad taught me how to shoot a bow and how to aim to be able to shoot squirrels and birds right through the eye and larger game straight in the heart. I never miss a target. _Never._

I walk back into the living room. Prim is sitting up, waiting for me.

"How was he? Did you ask all the questions? Did he say yes to the photo shoot? You were nice and polite right? I know you don't mean to but sometimes you do come off a bit frigid."

I give off a small laugh and pull Prim into my side. I wish she was still the young and tiny little girl that I still see when I look at her, but she's already eighteen and graduating high school in a month. We're the same size now; actually I think she's taller.

"Mr. Mellark was very polite. He didn't even laugh when I fell through the office doors."

"Oh no, Katniss you didn't!"

I nodded my head. "I'm afraid I did. I knew I shouldn't have worn those god forsaken death traps."

"They aren't death traps, Katniss. You just walk like a baby gazelle in them."

"Shut up. Anyways, I asked all of the questions and have them recorded. And since I'm the best sister in the world, I asked if he was willing to have his photo taken for the yearbook and he agreed so I gave his assistant, Meredith, both of our numbers. So expect a call from her or anyone else working for Mellark Enterprises in the next couple days."

"You are the best. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Don't ask me to go interview him again though, it's slightly intimidating."

"Really Katniss, you think anyone who makes eye contact with you is intimidating."

A few days go by before Prim announces that Meredith called and set up a time to take a few head shots of Peeta Mellark. She immediately roped in her boyfriend, Rory and his brother Gale, my best friend, into helping. Gale made a side job of taking photos of landscapes and selling them in high school and throughout high school. He doesn't do it much now, but that doesn't stop him from carrying his camera everywhere he goes. Rory picked it up from joining the yearbook committee in an attempt to get closer to Prim.

It's the night before the shoot when I get a call from an unfamiliar number.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Katniss Everdeen?" the smooth female asks on the other end of the line.

"Speaking."

"This is Meredith from Mellark Enterprises."

"Yes, Mr. Mellark's assistant."

"Correct. I was just calling to tell you that Mr. Mellark requests your presence tomorrow."

"What?" I ask dumbfounded. "Why?"

"Mr. Mellark didn't give me a reason. I was just told to inform you to be at Hotel 1000 at noon. Thank you, have a nice night."

She didn't give me enough time to decline before she hung the phone up and I'm stuck listening to the dial tone.

With a look of confusion I head into Prim's room. She's busy picking out an outfit to wear for tomorrow's big event that I am now a part of.

"Mr. Mellark's assistant just called me to _inform_ me that I would be expected to show up tomorrow. Why would Mr. Mellark want me there, I'm not needed."

Prim shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe he'd feel more comfortable having someone whose face he already knows rather than just three strangers. Or he might like you."

"What? Where did that come from?"

"I listened to the recording. He seemed interested." Prim laughs, "Seattle's Most Eligible Bachelor is interested in my sister. No wonder he's single."

I narrow my eyes at my younger sister and she just gives me her best smile before turning her attention back to her closet. She pulls a few things out of it and throws them at me.

"Wear this."

I look down at the pair of dark washed skinny jeans and a cream colored cable knit sweater. God, tomorrow was going to be a nightmare.


	2. Coffee Shop

**Here's another chapter that I've read through and edited! I should probably find a beta to help me with that because if you've read any of my other works you know I don't always edit. So if you would like to beta this let me know! Also if you have any song recommendations, send them my way so I can add them to the playlist! **

**In other news, holy moly! I cannot believe how quickly I got feedback back on this story. It was mind boggling. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and subscribed or followed.**

**I'm working on the ending of ATW and a request but after that all my attention is going to be on this story. I already have five chapters written so updates should be happening regularly. **

**happy reading! **

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><p>I hate the fact that I got very little sleep last night due to the fact that I was fretting over what to wear. Normally I would just chuck on a pair of jeans, a band tee shirt, and my favorite pair of broken in boots and call it a day. But because Mr. Mellark had specifically asked for me to be at the shoot, my entire body is now in a fit of panic at the lack of wardrobe choices. In the end I end up breaking down and asking Prim for something to wear because I "don't want to look like a grungy slob at a professional establishment." She ended up giving me a sunset orange sleeveless blouse with a lacy pattern around the neck that she said could be easily paired with jeans and her stylish pair of black hiking boots that will allow me to walk easily instead of being a fumbling mess. I hate that one request from someone I've only met one time and not likely to see ever again after today has my anxiety shot through the roof.<p>

It's also too early for my stomach to be feeling like this. The strong cup of tea I had when I first woke up didn't do anything to help settle these nerves. Neither did Prim's teasing nor Gale's defensive questions about whom exactly this Mr. Mellark character is. The entire ride to the Mellark Enterprises building, a rather short one thank god, was dreadful. Gale drove with me in my beat up truck while Prim and Rory rode in Rory's two door Jeep.

I can't say that Gale's questions about the man who is supposedly taken with me are all out of left field. We dated briefly before I called it quits claiming that I saw Gale more like a brother than a romantic partner. Gale didn't feel the same way, but he puts on a front for the sake of our friendship. I don't think either of us would be able to take not being in each other lives, we rely too heavily on each other to stop being friends.

The same red haired beauty is at the front desk when the four of us arrive. She smiles at us and reaches for the phone before I approach the front desk.

"Ms. Everdeen is here."

The woman nods a few times as if the person on the other end can see her before she hangs up.

"Okay Ms. Everdeen, Mr. Mellark is just finishing up a business meeting, if you wouldn't mind following me, I'll show you were you'll be having the photo shoot today."

I nod and follow her to the elevator with everyone following close behind me. The elevator is a short ride, only three floors up, before we're all following the bombshell like ducks in a row. We enter what looks to be a vacant conference room. There are floor to ceiling windows along the longest wall allowing ample natural light. We'll still need one of our own lights, says Gale, but not all four that we brought, which is good because they're heavy and I'm not going to volunteer myself for lugging one all the up here.

Gale and Rory have everything out of my truck and Rory's Jeep and set up before Peeta Mellark graces us with his presence. It's not until Prim starts on another one of tangents about everything needing to be perfect that we hear his voice. "I presume that you are Miss. Primrose Everdeen."

"Mr. Mellark," Prim says trying to cover the fact that he startled her. "Thank you for this honor."

"It is my pleasure. I hope you're well?"

"Yes, I am feeling much better. Thank you for allowing my sister to take my place."

Peeta catches my eye and I'm frozen by his stare. "Your sister was lovely. Meeting her was a pleasure all on its own," he says without looking away.

Gale breaks up the sudden pressure that's built up in the room between Mr. Mellark and my stares. "Well, let's do this. Prim you wanted to have Mr. Mellark standing right?"

Prim darts her eyes from me to the immaculate man in the crisp suit. "Right," she replies slowly. "Mr. Mellark, if you'd face away from the windows so we can also get a view of the skyline?"

Peeta Mellark nods and takes his stance by the window. After standing in one stop with the same dazzling smirk on his face for nearly twenty minutes Prim asked if he would move to a sitting position facing the windows. She seemed to like this pose better by the feedback she was giving Gale who was continually snapping picture after picture.

I liked the way the natural light made Peeta's already vivid blue eyes even brighter. They are so striking and captivating. I cannot pull myself to look away. It takes everything in me not to reach out and touch the Greek God that has clearly been chiseled out of the finest marble by Adonis himself after his own image.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Mellark. I'll be looking forward to the speech you'll be giving at graduation," Prim says, affectively knocking out of my day dreams of what Mr. Greek God would like without that starch white dress shirt on.

"You're very welcome, Primrose. I will be looking forward to the article you'll be writing about me," Peeta shakes my sisters hand followed by Gale's and Rory's. "Katniss, would you mind walking with me for a moment?"

I meet Prim's quizzical stare for a second before stuttering, "Sure."

Peeta holds the door open just enough that I brush by him when exiting. He smells delicious. I wonder if it is body wash, cologne, a mixture of the two, or if Mr. Mellark was just blessed with a naturally alluring musk?

"Ms. Everdeen, I was wondering if you'd care to get coffee with me."

"When?"

"Now."

"Oh. I have to drive Gale and some of his equipment home."

"I have a driver that can take him and his equipment wherever he needs to be."

"Uh," I stutter. "That isn't necessary. I'll just switch Rory cars. They can put all the equipment into one vehicle. Let me just go tell them."

I find Prim and Rory in the lobby. Gale is still out by the vehicles, thank god. I tell them about the impromptu date with Mr. Billionaire and receive an excited reaction from my younger sister and a slightly concerned look from her boyfriend. Rory relented though, from just a single glare from Prim, ad handed me over his Jeep keys.

Meredith instructs me to just walk into his office once I exit the elevator, so I do. Peeta is talking to an older man, maybe mid-forties, with longer, streaky blonde hair.

"Everything in order?" Peeta stops his conversation with the man once he spots me.

I hold the keys up. "Good to go."

"Excellent," Peeta rises from his desk chair, nods at the greasy haired man, and then follows me out of the door.

We take the elevator together. It's hard to breathe with Peeta standing so close to me. Close enough to reach out and touch him, maybe run my lips against the blonde stubble that is forming along his strong jaw. _What the fuck?_ I scold myself. I've never thought about what my lips would feel against someone else's let alone against various parts of their face. What is Peeta Mellark doing to me?

As if he could read my mind, Peeta looks down at me and smirks.

_Oh Jesus, I'm dead._

The small café is expectantly crowded for a Saturday afternoon but we manage to find a small table with two chairs in the back corner. Peeta gets my drink order; plain hot tea, before going off to stand in line. When he returns, he is carrying a tray with my tea, whatever he got to drink and an assortment of muffins and scones.

When handed my drink I immediately go for the pale yellow Splenda packets and start emptying them into my cup, six in all.

"You like a little tea with your sugar?"

"It's the only way to drink it," I tell him after taking my first sip.

"Not me. I prefer my tea strong and without any added things. Same goes for my coffee," Peeta punctuates what he says with a long gulp of his black coffee.

We start up a casual conversation, staying away from the heavy topics; religion, politics, how I so desperately want to run my fingers through his messy blonde locks as he divests me of my clothes. Or how each time he subconsciously wets his lips with that tongue of his, it sends a shockwave down the center of my body with an unknown amount of force. I have to bite my own lip to stop myself from saying something stupid like how badly I want those strong hands to be covering my body.

Instead we talk about my upcoming graduation that is happening in only a week. I told him about some of my favorite classes, one of them being my fine arts elective; theory of music. I divulge Peeta my love of all music, not just the sound of it, but the message and the back story in which the music came to life. And then we hit a heavy topic for me; family.

"Your parents must be extremely proud of you."

"Uh," I stutter.

"They aren't?"

"No. She is, I suppose. My mother and I have a very strained relationship. We don't know how to talk to each other."

"And your father?"

"He passed away when I was eight. But I'm sure he would have been proud. He didn't go to college but environmental sciences always fascinated him."

"I'm sorry for your loss."

I give Peeta a small smile before looking down to pick at the muffin in front of me. We spend a few beats in silence, sipping our beverages and taking bites of the breakfast foods still on the tray between Peeta and myself. It's a comfortable silence, not one of those that begs to be filled with random facts about you or observations about the space around you. No awkward turtle is being born.

"So Ms. Everdeen," Peeta vanishes the stillness. "What did your boyfriend say when you told him that you agreed to have coffee, or tea, with me?"

"My boyfriend?"

"The elder photographer."

"Oh, Gale. He's not my boyfriend. He was briefly for one period of our lives, but I was quick to end it. I couldn't even imagine kissing someone who I see as my brother," I ramble on, probably revealing much more than I should have. I quickly duck my head so Peeta doesn't see the blush rising in my cheeks.

"Don't look down please, I like to see your eyes," he instructs me.

"Why?" I gather the courage to look back up into his amazing blue eyes.

"I have a talent for being able to read peoples body language but with you I'm having a hard time trying to decipher what exactly you're thinking. Except when I can see your face, you aren't exactly the best at steeling one's emotions."

"Eyes are the passageway to the soul, you know," I say lightheartedly with a bit of a grin.

"So Mr. Photographer is not your boyfriend, but more of a brother figure. That is good to know."

"And why is that good to know?" I try my damnedest to flirt.

"Because now I don't feel bad asking you out on a date."

"Is this a date?"

Peeta shrugs. "It shouldn't be, but I can't help myself for wanting it to be."

"Why shouldn't it be?"

"I am not the man you want to go on a date with," Peeta tells me without giving further explanation.

I raise my eyebrows. "And what type of guy do I want to go on dates with?"

Peeta paused for a moment, I could see him calculating what he was about to say in his head. "Someone who can give you hearts and flowers."

"I've never been the type of girl to swoon over the occasional rose and drugstore teddy bear," I retort.

"Then maybe I read you all wrong."

The mixture of scones and muffins are all but gone, thanks to my persistent stomach, as well my tea and Peeta's coffee. Peeta walks me back to the parking garage my hand stuck in the crook of his arm the entire way. When we get to Rory's Jeep to stand quiet for a moment, just simply staring at each other, not wanting to be the first to utter our goodbyes.

"This is my favorite color," Peeta fiddles with a stretch of fabric that drapes over my collarbone.

"It's, uh, Prim's. My closet is filled with tee shirts and ripped up jeans."

"I'd like to see you in tee shirts and ripped up jeans."

My breath catches in my throat. I want him to kiss me; he's going to kiss me. I can see it in the way his eyes flit from my slightly parted lips to my pleading eyes then back to my lips. I've forgotten how to breathe in this moment and likely will die but it won't matter as long as I get to feel Peeta's lips on mine.

"Breathe Katniss," Peeta whispers to me, much closer than before.

Time stays suspended in the air as we breathe in each other's air. I can smell his strong coffee mixed in with a hint of minty toothpaste.

"I am not going to kiss you."

Stunned I ask, "Why not?"

"I am not the man you should be with," Peeta backs away from me suddenly. "Thank you for indulging me in a wonderful afternoon."

He turns and leaves the parking garage so quickly that I don't have enough time to properly process what just happened. I follow Peeta's lead and just as quickly, I leave the parking garage as well. Only for me I'm heading home to a younger sister who is full of questions and a heart that I think was just broken.


	3. Dirty Little Secret

**New chapter for you guys. So far this story line has stayed pretty consistent with the original but eventually I'll dip in and out of some of my own stuff and well as E.L James' plot. Hope y'all enjoy!**

**Come find me on tumblr itsmorrgan**

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><p>I graduated a week after the photo shoot with Mr. Mellark. Prim had asked so many questions the following days after the humiliating ending of my first and last <em>date<em> with Peeta. She wanted to know why my eyes were glossy, my cheeks splotched, and my nose stuffy as if I had been crying. But everyone knows that Katniss Everdeen doesn't cry, especially over stupid boys that make millions of dollars in just a single day, so obviously I must be coming down with the same thing that Prim had.

When I told Prim that there would not be a second date, she was devastated to say the least. She was certain that she thought Peeta harbored some sort of romantic feelings for me and me for him, judging by the way I accepted going out for coffee with him so willingly. I simply shrugged and told her that we'd never know why there wouldn't be a second date since we'd never see him again. Then she had to go and remind me that we'd very much in fact see Peeta again; at her graduation. Peeta would be giving some speech and Prim would present him with a plaque that will be hung up in the main entrance of Capitol High School in his honor.

That wasn't for another two weeks though, so I had ample time to get over the small bits of feelings that I had conjured up during our two and a half hour coffee and tea break. And I had plenty of things to distract me. I interviewed for an assistant position at Districts Energy that has been working on finding and producing reusable energy resources. I start fulltime there on Monday, and I finish my last shift at Darius' Hardware and Outdoors shop today.

I button up my green plaid uniform shirt for that last time and tuck it into the waist of my cut off denim shorts. It's been surprisingly hot for the end of May in Seattle, reaching up into the low eighties. A wave of sadness washes over me once I pin my name tag on my right breast pocket. I have been working at Darius' since I was fifteen. I used to take the bus every day after school and work a few hours in the evening helping with the paperwork back when the owner's wife, Bristol, was pregnant with their first child. When I got my license some months later, I was hired as an official employee, stocking the shelves and later manning the cash register. Darius, Bristol, and their three kids have become my second family. And after today, I'd no longer see them on a daily basis.

The entire staff is waiting for me in the break room with cake and balloons, wishing me a great last day. I hate being the center of attention and I can feel my olive skin redden as I'm passed around the group for a chance at a hug, but everyone means well so I hold back my scowl.

"Okay everyone," Darius claps his hands together to get our attention. "We got to get back to work."

I'm restocking rocking climbing gloves when a customer interrupts me. "Excuse me."

I look up and it feels like a bucket of ice water is dumped over me, flooding down my arms reaching to the very tips of my fingers, and down my spine until even my little toes and feel the prickly coldness. It's Peeta Mellark. Beautiful, Adonis-like, with the blonde waves and sparkling eyes, Peeta Mellark.

"What are you doing here?" I sputter out.

Peeta gives me an almost amused look. "I am looking for a few things that can easily be found at a hardware store. I wasn't aware that you work here."

"Today is my last day. I got that job working with renewable energy. I start on Monday, actually."

"Congratulations," Peeta seems actually proud of my incredible job promotion.

"Thank you," I smile shyly. "So, you needed help finding something?"

"Yes. I need a few things."

Peeta tells me that he needs rope. Strong braided rope that some people use for mountain climbing, those he's not doing that because I already asked. He's also in search for heavy duty zip ties.

"Any duct tape or ski masks?" I ask as we walk to the cash register.

"What?"

"Rope strong enough to tie someone up, zip ties to bind hands. Normally people add duct tape and ski masks to their rape kits," I say jokingly.

"I like my girls willing during sex," he assures me.

I ring Peeta up and he hands me a black AmEx. He also hands me another card with Mellark enterprises written on it with office hours and numbers, on the back is his handwritten cell phone number.

"I'd like to do some work with your company once you get comfortable. As I said, I'm always looking for new ways for my company to go green."

"Okay," I say slowly. "Thank you."

"I'll be seeing you Ms. Everdeen."

Prim nearly runs into me as I enter the front door of our house when I return home late from my last shift at work. She's excited to share something with me judging by the way she's grinning and struggling to get out what she's trying to say.

"He likes you Katniss! You were wrong about that date, he really does like you!"

"Who likes me?"

"Mr. Mellark!"

"What?"

"Come on," she grabs my hand and pulls me through the living room and into the kitchen.

An obscenely large bouquet of flowers sits in the middle of our small kitchen table. I recognize a few flower types, obviously the Katniss flowers as well as the Primrose flowers which my sister and I are named for, as well as a few Baby's Breaths. There are gorgeous flowers in yellows and in oranges as well as a type of fern in a dark green. The bouquet is both beautiful and breathtaking. Beside the large vase is an envelope sitting on top of a wrapped gift.

"Open it!" Prim urges.

Tentatively I reach for the envelope first. The card inside shows a picture of a beautiful forest and all different shades of browns and luscious greens on the front. I open it and discover perfect penmanship.

_Congratulations on your graduation as well as your recent employment._

_I hope to be working with you in the future._

_I'll be seeing you,_

_Peeta Mellark._

"Open the gift now!" Prim is practically exploding with excitement.

"Calm down, Little Duck," I scold her as I reach for the neatly wrapped present.

As soon as the wrapping paper falls away I let out a large gasp. A beautifully carved dark wooden box with hand carved trim around the edges sits in my hands. I slowly unclasp the hook that's keeping it closed lift the lid.

A whistling song came from inside the box. It resonates from the chest of a small Mockingjay twirling around the center of the music box singing the song my father used to sing to me so many years ago when he taught me how to navigate through the thick of the woods.

"Katniss," Prim whispers in astonishment. "Did you tell him about Dad?" I shake my head no, my voice being too unreliable to speak. "How did he know?"

I draw in a few deep breaths and steal my tears. I close the music box and set it back on the table and step away. "It doesn't matter, Prim. I'll be returning it."

She doesn't have a chance to protest before I'm walking up the rickety stairs and closing the door to my room behind me.

The next week, the first week at District Energy, went by rather quickly, and rather well. Generally everyone that I've met so far, I like; except Johanna Mason. I'm on the fence about her. She's loud, crass, and has zero filter. She's easily intimidating, with her short brown hair, a lethal stare, multiple piercings, and the hint of tattoo that pokes out of the collar of her shirt and ends at the edge of her hairline.

My apprehension of her hasn't stopped Johanna from quickly befriending me. She's taken me under her wing or so she says, and gladly shows me the ends and the out of the company. And because I survived my first week virtually unscathed, Johanna insists that we go out and celebrate.

I invite Gale to tag along as a human bumper, and because Johanna requested to meet my 'tall, dark and handsome' best friend. To my surprise, the two of them actually get along. Quickly talking each other up on something I have no clue of.

So while they talk, I continue my drinking. I've never been drunk before, not for lack for Gale trying, but alcohol has never been something I've been interested in. But the sickly sweet beverage that Johanna ordered for me is surprisingly good, and doing a fine job at making my head feel fuzzy.

I excuse myself to use the bathroom but get stuck in the long line for the women's restroom. To occupy my time, I rummage around my purse to find my phone but end up finding the small, white business card. _Peeta Mellark._ I thumb over the cell phone number on the back and get a sick idea. Quickly I search for my phone then punch in his number.

After two rings I hear his familiar voice. "Hello?"

"Why did you send me the flowers and the music box?" I bypass pleasant greetings and get straight to the point of the phone call.

"Katniss?"

"Yeah," I confirm. "Why did you send them?"

"Where are you?"

"I'm at a bar. Now answer the question."

"Are you drunk?" I can hear a change in his voice that makes my stomach muscles clench.

"Slightly."

"Where are you?" He repeats.

"It doesn't matter, _Peeta._ Answer my questions."

"I'm coming to get you."

"I can handle myself just fine thank you," with that I quick end the call but just as quickly I curse myself for not getting the answer I needed.

I forget about using the bathroom and leave the line to get some fresh air. I find Gale out by a group of bushes talking on the phone, when he sees me he smiles brightly.

"Who was that?"

"Rory. He wanted to know my Netflix password so he and Prim could watch some documentary."

I nod my head and breathe in the night air. You can still hear the thumping of the bass that comes from inside the bar, but right now it's peaceful.

"Johanna is something," Gale mentions.

"Yeah, she's definitely a handful."

"Katniss?"

I turn to look at Gale. He's standing closer than before. He makes his way even closer until his hands wrap around my waist.

"I've been patient for you to realize how good we'd be together. Am I wasting my time or is there still hope for us?"

"Gale," I begin to protest.

"Just go with it Catnip. Feel it," he whispers against my lips before he's kissing me.

Oh no. I don't want this. Not at all. I push back quickly, breaking away from all contact with Gale, but that proves to be a bad idea when my vision begins to sway and all the alcohol I've consumed thus far sloshes in my stomach.

"Oh God," I moan, tripping over my own feet as I try to make my way to the flower bed.

I throw up the moment I bend over, heaving up what used to be in my stomach, drowning the beautiful flowers in my bile. I can hear a noise of disgust coming from Gale in a distance then feel my hair being pulled back and out of line of fine. I look up to see familiar blue eyes staring down at me warily. I turn back to the ground and throw up once more before my stomach finally settles.

Peeta produces a handkerchief for me to wipe my mouth.

"Thank you."

"I thought you said you could take care of yourself."

"Obviously I had more hope in myself than proven to be true. What are you doing?"

"I told you that I was going to come and get you."

"I don't need rescuing," I scold, turning back and heading towards the entrance of that bar.

"Yes, because you were doing such a great job of warding off unwanted touches from the photographer."

"I can handle Gale," I bite back.

"Let me take you home."

"Why?"

"Because you clearly are in no shape to drive."

"Why did you send that music box? That's not the type of gift you send someone after telling them that you don't find them attractive enough to kiss."

"When have I told you that you were unattractive?"

"When you refused to kiss me."

"I didn't kiss you because I am not the type of person you should get involved with."

"Why don't you let me decide who I should and shouldn't involve myself with?"

"I'm taking you home," Peeta sighs and runs with fingers through his hair. "Did you bring a jacket?"

I nod my head. "It's inside."

Peeta takes my hand and gestures me to lead the way. I take him to our spot at the bar where Gale is downing a beer and Johanna is yelling at the game on the TV. I reach for my jacket without making eye contact with either one of them.

"I'm going to head out," I say loud enough to catch Johanna's attention.

"What?" she looks at me then up at Peeta. "Oh, okay. You have fun," she gives me a playful wink.

I roll my eyes as Peeta is pulling me back to the front entrance. The jostling in and out of people makes my head feel dizzy again and the familiar feeling of nausea returns as we round the bar together and step in front of Peeta's shiny black sports car.

"Peeta," I manage to mumble out before I'm bracing myself on the hood of his car and throwing up onto the blacktop.

"Christ," Peeta mumbles.

I close my eyes and breathe in and out through my nose in hopes of calming down my nerves as Peeta guides me into the passenger seat of the car. I don't even have a chance to admire the soft leather and the finely detailed stitching before the blackness consumes me and for lack of better words pass out.

I wake in a lusciously large bed. It definitely not my twin sized bed that I've had since I graduated from a crib to a big girl bed. I survey the room, taking in the white, modern furniture, dark hardwood floors, and white walls with large paintings.

One of the three doors opens up and Peeta strolls inside holding a bottle of water and a thing of pain pills.

"Morning."

"Uh, morning," I say warily with a voice still groggy from sleep.

I try to run my fingers through my bedhead and try to make myself look like I don't have the biggest hangover in the world.

"Drink all of it," Peeta orders as he passes over the water and pills.

"Thank you."

I do what he says, not because he told me to but because I want to, and down the water in just a few gulps but that does nothing to quench my thirst.

"Do you normally drink heavily?"

"No. This was my first time really."

"Ah. You should get dressed. I had Haymitch go out and buy you new clothes and your old ones are being washed," Peeta motions to the bag on his dresser. "Breakfast should be ready in ten minutes."

Peeta leaves without another word and that is when I notice my lack of dress. I'm wearing a large faded grey tee shirt, bra and underwear, but that's it. I quickly fling Peeta's shirt off of my body and look inside the bag to see what this Haymitch character bought me.

A black Henley along with a pair of dark wash jeans, and they are both in my size. At the bottom of the bag is a new bra and panties set that is much nicer than anything I currently own, and of course they fit perfectly.

I tentatively open up one of the other doors in hopes of finding a bathroom and get lucky; stepping into the largest bathroom I've ever seen before. It's easily bigger than my room back home, maybe even twice the size. I search through the drawers looking for something to brush my hair with. I come across a simple comb and quickly run it through my ends. I spot Peeta's toothbrush and think devilishly of using it, desperately needing to rid the taste of the rancid bile that I expelled the night before. I smirk as I dispense a dollop of mint toothpaste onto the bristles and start to scrub all of the grime and grit from my teeth. It'll be the closest I get to actually kissing him anyways.

Peeta's standing in the kitchen talking to an older lady with bleached blonde hair and is in some fifties up do. She's gaudy but beautiful, just like all of the other girls in Peeta's life that he's employed. I wonder if he's ever had a lawsuit against him for turning someone away due to their lack of desirable genes. The lady spots me first and mentions my arrival to Peeta who turns and gives me a wide smile.

"The clothes fit nicely. Tell _Haymitch_ thank you."

"You can tell him yourself, he should be coming in shortly. I didn't know what you liked to eat so I made a smorgasbord of food."

I take a look at the breakfast bar and see a vast assortment of foods. There is bacon and sausage, a pot of hot chocolate, pitcher of orange juice, some sort of cheese bun, cinnamon rolls, and two bowls filled with fruits and yogurt. I wonder if Peeta would think it was gross if I ate everything. Oh well, he's already made it clear that he's not interested. But then again, that was before he came to my rescue last night.

"It all looks so delicious."

"Help yourself. You need food after last night."

I take a seat in front of an empty plate at the bar and start loading it with rolls and buns and a heaping spoonful of yogurt that I mix with delicious berries. Peeta sits beside me and does the same, and like our coffee 'date' we find ourselves in respectable silence.

"So last night," I begin the dreadful question that's been in my mind since I woke up. "Did we do anything?"

Peeta chuckles, "No Katniss. I like my women willing and conscious. And you weren't considered conscious."

"Oh, okay. Was I sleeping in your bed?" Peeta nods. "Where did you sleep?"

"In my bed," he says. "It was the first time I've had a girl in my bed and we just slept."

"Never?"

Peeta shakes his head and I take his silence as a sign not to ask any more questions. So instead I look outside of one of the many floor to ceiling windows that outlooks Puget Sound and the rest of Seattle that rests below Peeta's high rise.

Peeta's home is really too big for just himself. It's no wonder that Peeta spends so much time at work. He's probably lonely.

Another question forms in my head as I examine the room. The question that probably got me here in the first place. "Why did you send me the flowers and the music box?"

"You didn't like them?"

"No, I did, I do. The flowers were lovely and the music box—" I pause for a lack of words. The music box was, is, amazing. It brought back so many memories that Peeta wasn't even aware of. "The music box means a lot. It's just why would you buy it for me if you're so convinced that I need to stay away from you? You pushed me away, and I was fine with that then you go and give me something like that music box and it makes me want to convince you at maybe you are right for me."

"I assure you, I am not the right man for you."

"How can you be sure?"

We subconsciously drift closer to each other. I'm so close to grabbing Peeta's face and kissing him. I have never felt like this before, it scares me. Normally, I'm the timid, private girl that sits in the back corner of the class and stays invisible as possible. But Peeta makes me feel something different; braver, like I don't need to be in control or even want to.

"Katniss," his voice is a mix between a groan and a moan. "I don't do hearts and flowers, I told you that."

"And I don't need hearts and flowers, I told _you_ that."

Peeta looks at me intently. I can see the gears turning in his head until suddenly he's sliding off of the bar stool and disappearing down the hallway. He's gone before I have a chance to wonder where he's gone.

He hands me the papers that he retrieved from an unknown location. "Here."

"What is it?" I flip through the documentation of some kind.

"It's an NDA, nondisclosure agreement. You need to read and then sign it before we can continue talking."

"Why?"

"It's protection for myself as well as for you. If you sign you cannot talk about anything that I tell you, and if you do, I have the rights to sue for a breach in this contract."

I want to ask Peeta if he starts all of his relationship like this. I wonder if he made his brother, sister, mother and father sign something like this. Instead I take the pen that Peeta supplied, flip to the last page and sign my name on the dotted line without reading it.

"You should have read it before you signed it," Peeta scolded me.

"It's not like I was going to tell anyone about us anyway. Who would I tell?"

My question is rhetorical and Peeta doesn't answer. Instead we take part in another stare down. I bite my lip and wait for him to say something. Divulge me in the so secretive information that I had to sign a DNA agreement just to learn what it is.

Instead Peeta takes me by surprise, grabs my face and our lips collide together. I melt; literally melt into Peeta as he steps in between my parted thighs. The kiss is controlling, demanding, hot, and frantic. Like all of our short time together has just been a lighted fuse only to explode at this moment.

"I want this to work, god to I want this to work," Peeta mutters to himself.

"So what did you have to tell me that's so secretive I had to sign an NDA?"

"It would be easier to show you can to tell you."

"Lead the way."

Peeta clutches onto my hand and helps me off of the stool. He takes up the stairs instead of going to the hallway which his bedroom is located. We stop in front of the furthermost door. Peeta extracts a key from his back pocket and unlocks the door.

"I don't do hearts and flowers," he repeats for the umpteenth time. "If you say no, I'll drive you home. Or Haymitch can drive you home if you prefer and that'll be it. But I hope you say yes."

"Just open the door."

And he does.

Holy shit what did I get myself into?


	4. Behind The Mask

**This fic is rated mature for a reason. If you don't want to read about BDSM or psychological issues that deals with child abuse and abandonment then this fic is not for you. If for some reason this gets taken down, you'll be able to find it on my tumblr (itsmorrgan) and on my AO3 (itsmorgan). **

**review and tell me what you think so far and if you've read fifty shades of grey. **

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><p>The room behind the door is bathed in a deep red. Dark red walls, a dark red duvet that is spread over a large four poster bed that sits in the middle of the room against the far right wall. The dark wood accents only adds to the rooms darkness. This room doesn't fit the rest of the house, it doesn't belong. I turn back to Peeta who is eyeing my warily before stepping further into the room.<p>

Things I've never seen before but can only assume belong in a medieval dungeon hang on the walls or sit on top of a large chest of drawers that I'm sure house more devices that look like they dispense torture.

Sex toys. That's what I've come to the conclusion, judging by the way there are leather shackles on all four posts of the bed as well as the large 'X' looking wooden structure that glares at me from a corner in the room.

"Say something," Peeta rasps out.

I circle the room once more before resting my eyes on him. He's harder to look at now. "You're a sadist?"

"No. At least I don't think of myself like that. I am more of a dominate."

"So you bring girls into your _Red Room of Pain_ and torture them in order them to get your rocks off?"

Peeta shakes his head as he stares down at his shoes. Maybe he finds me hard to look at right now as well. "No. I don't torture, Katniss. The women that I bring in here fully consent and want me to do the things I do to them, beg even."

"Why?"

"They enjoy it," he replies simply.

"And you enjoy seeing girls all trussed up without an ounce of control?"

"I enjoy the amount of trust the women bestow on me to tie them up and bring them pleasure."

"So if you have women that are already willing to consent then why bring me here? I'm certainly not a submissive type."

"I'm come to that conclusion on my own, though I thought that maybe you might be by the way you stumbled into my office and started calling me Sir."

"You like it when they call you Sir?"

"Oh, I require it."

"And if I refuse to call you it, _Peeta_?" I say his name just as a form of protesting.

"Then I'd have to punish you."

"How?"

"Maybe pleasure you with my fingers or maybe even my tongue until you are right on the cusp of an orgasm and stop until those feelings have subsided only to do it again and again until you are begging me for a release. Or maybe I'd spank you until your bottom turned the shade of these walls, rendering it impossible for you to sit without thinking how wonderful the pain feels."

"Oh," is the only thing I can gasp out.

My heart is beating a million beats per second and I help but to clamp my legs together and relish in the feeling of the seam of my jeans rubbing my most sensitive areas. I bite my lip trying to think about the pain I'm causing it instead of the delicious pain Peeta might cause on my backside.

"But to answer your previous question, Katniss," Peeta goes on seemingly unaffected. "There are many women that could be here right now instead of you but you've affectively engraved yourself on the back of my eyelids and on every lobe of my brain. Ever since the first interview, I thought of how beautiful you are. Then I thought if I saw you again, maybe it would cure me. But it did not, and I ask you to coffee, which may have been a big mistake of all seeing as you were interested in me and I knew that I couldn't give you what you want. So I said my goodbyes without looking back. Then I made another mistake by finding out where you worked and coming to see you, hoping that seeing you in cut off shorts and an ill-fitting lumberman's shirt you make you less desirable. But I was proven wrong once again, and it made me want you even more."

Out of all Peeta's confessed I can only focus on one thing; he finds me beautiful.

"I'm not beautiful."

Peeta scoffs and is visually disgusted in the idea of myself not thinking that I am beautiful. "You fell from the Heavens, Katniss, I'm sure of it."

We fall into another one of our silences only this time it's not as comfortable seeing as all of the toys and devices are taunting me from their spots on the walls. The whips and canes and floggers are laughing so loudly. They know that I am not the type of woman who should be walking through those doors.

But I might want to be. All my life I've been the supporting one. I've been the glue that holds my family together. It weighs heavily on my shoulders at all time, day and night. It might be nice to relinquish control. It might be nice to do what Peeta described; my body certainly seems to think so judging my how I can feel my nipples straining through the padding of my bra and the dampness in between my legs.

"So what if I agreed. What would happen next?"

I can the shock in Peeta's eyes as I surprise him with my confession.

"Come," he reaches out and grabs my hand. "I cannot think about the future with you while standing in here."

Peeta pulls me back down the hall but not down the stairs. Instead we stop at another closed door. This one you don't need a key to get in to. Peeta gestures for me to twist the knob, so I do.

"If you agree this would be your room. You would spend every weekend here as well as some days during the week, depending on what we agree upon. You can paint, redecorate, change anything you want in this room seeing as it will be yours and I want you completely at ease."

"I wouldn't be sleeping with you?" I ask as I peer into the room what is set in neutral tones currently.

"No. You were the only girl that has ever slept in my bed and it can't, it won't, happen again."

"Oh." Honestly I cannot say that I am not disappointed in the idea of curling up next to Peeta's strong body and remembering it when I wake up the next morning.

We exit this room, _my room_, and make way to the stairs. Peeta leaves me to sit on one of the leather couches in the living room while he retrieves something from another room. He returns moments later with a stack of papers similar to the nondisclosure agreement that I just signed.

"More paperwork?" I prompt.

"Rules and limits. I don't have normal sex, Katniss, I fuck and I fuck hard. In this game we need to have an even playing field. I need to know your soft and hard limits and you need to know mine."

I flip through the number of pages and already the things that jump out and off the page frighten me. There are rules for everything; exercise, sleeping, _obedience_, food. At least the food one I won't have a problem following. Three square meals is required for me to eat and I see no problem in that other than eating can get expensive and I have more important things to spend my money on, like bills and healthcare.

There's something about consenting to a series of medical tests to ensure that I don't have any sort of sexual disease or otherwise. That won't be hard to prove that I'm negative across the entire board. It talks of methods for birth control. I guess I'll be put on the pill because I hate needles and Mr. Mellark doesn't do condoms. That part makes me sneer. _I'm going to mess with the chemical balance of a woman's body simply because I don't like the feel of a condom around my dick._ Asshole.

I keep reading and familiar, repeated words glare at me.

**Bondage. **

**Master. **

**Slave. **

**Submit. **

**Whipping.**

**Spanking.**

**Punishment.**

**Reward.**

**Safe-word.**

My brain is so worked up with new information the room starts to spin.

"Take this home. Read it and do some research. Then we can discuss what to add or subtract depending what you like and don't like."

"Like and don't like?"

"You know, in the bedroom, during sex."

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

Oh shit. I look down. First at the stack of offensive papers that I cannot relate to in any way shape or form, then I turn to the walls and the beautiful paintings that are hung on them. There is a landscape painting of a meadow. It looks similar to the one that Gale and I discovered back when I was fifteen and he was two years older. Only in this picture the flowers are more vibrant, and they're everywhere. I'd like to go wherever this meadow is.

"I've uh," I begin after several minutes of staring at that beautiful painting. "I'm not experienced."

"I figured that by the way you constantly blush when the topic arises."

Oh, why is this so hard to say? I have nothing to be ashamed of. Rip it off like a Band-Aid. The worst things Peeta can do are laugh in my face, and then send me packing. And really, he might be doing me a favor by doing that. "I mean that I don't have any experience at all. I'm a virgin."

Peeta's pale complexion goes even paler. I could easily hold up a piece of paper and not know the difference between sheet and skin. Why didn't I just sleep with Gale? At least then I wouldn't be in this awkward position.

"Oh God," Peeta sobs.

Fuck, this reaction is even worse than the laughing. I try to find the right words but nothing sounds right in my head. "I'm sorry."

"No," Peeta tells me. "You have nothing at all to be sorry about. I should have known. I could tell that you were pure, but my own selfish desires just didn't care. Forgive me."

I nod. Peeta runs his fingers through his unruly hair. At any moment now he's going to get up, summon whoever Haymitch is from wherever he's been hiding, and ask him to take me home. All previous desires for me would have vanished the moment I told just how inexperienced I really am.

"I want to do this right. Will you let me do this right?"

"What do you mean?"

"I still cannot stop myself from wanting you, no matter how wrong I am for you. Your first time won't be in that room."

"I thought you only _fucked hard_?"

Peeta sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Exceptions will be made."

"So you plan to deflower me right now?"

"No," he said certainly. "I'm going to do this right. I'll wine and dine you first. Are you available tonight?"

Tonight is Saturday and normally I spend Saturdays curled up in my bed or on the couch watching reruns of Supernatural or Friends. So yes, I am available tonight. But if I say yes to tonight, I'll be saying yes to losing my virginity, which I don't mind losing, I've never been the type of girl who just had to wait until marriage or something sacred, but I never thought I'd lose my virginity to a man who means to make me no more than a play thing.

I really need to run for the hills. Stick to all of the things I know and remain an invisible wall flower until my less than boring death. But even with all the fibers and nerve endings in my body shouting no, a little twinge in my heart tells me yes.

"What time will you pick me up?"


	5. To Wine and Dine Her

**These might start updating more infrequently. I have a shit ton of stuff on my plate right now and I'm having a hard time trying to find the time to eat/sleep/shower much less write more chapters for this and finish some of the requests that I haven't even started on. I apologize in advance.**

**Also this is the only time I'm going to say this, I forgot to put it in the very first chapter but better late than never, I do not own The Hunger Games nor do I own Fifty Shades of Grey. I am just a person who has read both books, and thought about combining them. **

**This contains mature themes and if you are anyway sensitive to the subjects of BDSM and/or emotional trauma and other things along that line, I highly suggest you find another much happier fic to read. **

**I absolutely love reading all of your reviews, especially after a crummy day at work! (;**

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><p>Prim is on the cusp of a cardiac arrest when I tell her, begrudgingly, about my night. How I went out with Johanna and Gale to celebrate my first week at work with full intentions of having one beer then calling it a night, only to get in a drunken stupor, call Peeta, and have him come be my knight and shining armor, thus leading to a date tonight.<p>

Upon stating that my usual Saturday night plans will be interrupted, Prim set forth on picking out an outfit for me. She didn't even bother looking in my closet for something worthwhile to wear and went straight to the back of her closet where she keeps some of her more expensive clothing. I tried telling Prim that I didn't want to be dolled up so much that Peeta wouldn't be able to recognize me, but I don't think she heard me when she pulled out a short knitted grey dress with a wider neckline and long sleeves.

"That can't even be considered a dress."

"If it touches the tip of your fingers then it's a dress," Prim insists.

"I doubt that even gets to your palm."

Prim shrugs and hands it to me anyways. I turn to the direction of the bathroom to try it on. The mixed grey color goes nicely with my skin and brings out my eyes, I guess. But it cuts off mid-thigh and I'm not too sure about that.

It doesn't matter what I think because when Prim sees me she deems that that is in fact the dress I'll be wearing tonight for my date. I couldn't even protest before she's practically pulling it off my head and shoving me into the shower, claiming I need to make sure _everything_ is shaved.

_Everything shaved._ That was another one of Peeta's requirements; to have my private areas shaved bare or waxed completely off. Just with the deal with the birth control, I find myself getting upset. Peeta has no right to decide how much or how little hair I have on my body.

I think about not shaving at all, keeping everything all natural just like I have been for the last twenty-two years. But instead I decide to do a little experimental landscaping, shaving enough off, but not all to show that I am defying him. Deal with it Peeta Mellark.

Prim leaves my hair alone, claiming that the natural loose waves that I have are in right now. She does make it her job to pluck a few stubborn hairs from my eye brows and run the mascara brush over my eye lashes a time or two before allowing me to put on my own natural lip color lipstick.

Then Prim riffles through my underwear drawer, much to my embarrassment, and picks out the nicest panty set I have; plain, cotton black bra with a matching black thong that I had forgotten that I owned. Back goes on the dress and finally the blue pointed flats. I look like a prettier version of myself.

"Peeta will be here any minute," Prim says eagerly.

I don't say anything back in fear that I'll throw up. I've never been so nervous in my entire life. What if this is just some sick joke? Surely Seattle's most eligible bachelor can't be even remotely attracted to me in the slightest. Some would protest that the Peeta the world knows also wouldn't have a sex play room that is under lock and key, so I guess anything is possible. Except for the fact that someone that looks like Peeta is indeed attracted to the likes of me. I guess we'll see tonight.

My ears are on hyper alert when I hear a car pull into the driveway. I immediately kiss Prim's cheek, thank her for her help, then rush to the door only to have Peeta beat me to the bell. I open it slowly, wishing I could have just met him at his car. I don't want him to see my old house that has mix matched, second hand furniture after seeing his immaculate living space.

"Hi," I say shyly.

"Hello. These are for you," Peeta pulls another lovely bouquet of flowers from behind his back.

For how many times he's told me that he's not a hearts and flowers type of guy, this is the second time I've received flowers from it.

"They're beautiful. I'll be right back."

I rush to the kitchen, flowers in hand, to put them in a vase with water. When I return to the living room Peeta and Prim have started up a conversation about her impending graduation.

"Ready to go?" I ask him.

"Sure am," Peeta grins. "It was nice see you Primrose."

"You two have fun!" she calls after the pair of us as Peeta allows me to exit the house first.

I'm not sure if this is the same car Peeta used during the rescue mission. It was the same pitch black color but after that my mind is a little fuzzy. It wouldn't surprise me if it was a different car. I'd expect nothing less than a man with more money than God in his thirties to own an array of vehicles.

The interior matches the same black color as the paint job on the exterior only all of the stitching is done in a bright orange color. It must be custom made.

"This is my favorite car," Peeta said as he noticed my interest. "I've always loved Aston Martin's but I really fell in love with the Vanquish. I don't care how dumb I sound when I call her my baby. The other cars get jealous," Peeta grins as he throws the gear into reverse and backs out of my driveway in one smooth movement.

I don't even know what kind of other kind of cars Peeta has, but I've already decided that this is my favorite car of his too. Maybe someday Peeta will let me drive _his baby._

I don't know what to expect with my date with Peeta tonight. Maybe he'll throw his money around at some swanky five star restaurant that costs my entire year salary just to breathe its air. Or perhaps take me on some romantic walk on the beach. Whatever it is I'm expecting it to be cheesy and cost the price of a first born child.

What I don't expect is for Peeta to pull up in front of a practically rundown brick building in a primarily residential neighborhood.

"Have you ever been here?"

"What's here?"

"Central Cinema," Peeta explains. "They don't play current movies, but older ones. My parents and siblings used to go every Saturday until it became socially unacceptable to be seen with your parents outside of your house."

"What's playing tonight?"

"A favorite of mine; Jurassic Park," Peeta's ear to ear grin sends him back ten years in age to twenty-three. With the look he's sporting now it's hard to spot the dominate, business man façade that he always wears.

"One of my favorites too," I smile fondly at a memory. "Prim would always watch it but come nighttime, she'd knock on my bedroom door with tear stains on her cheek, blubbering about the dinosaurs under her bed. It would take a crowbar and lots of lubricant to peel her from my side come morning time."

"You must really love her."

"She's my favorite person in the world."

"And here I was hoping that I'd be your favorite person in the world."

"Buy me some popcorn and for tonight you can be."

"Oh no Katniss, they have full dinners here, I'm buying you way more than just popcorn."

The theater isn't packed much to my surprise seeing that it's a Saturday night, but Peeta explained that this isn't the first time Jurassic Park has been on this month, so the crowd is much more subdued. I'm totally fine with that if it means that Peeta and I get our own sofa to ourselves, which it does.

Peeta orders a beer so that's what I do, taking a stab at some local brew that I've never heard before, but deeming that tonight is a night of first for Peeta and myself, I decided what the hell. Peeta suggests that we share our food when I can't decide between the short ribs and the John Candy pizza. I can't help but make the comparison between him and Gale. Gale would never share food with me, no matter how sweetly I asked.

The movie started and our food came. My beer is long gone and so is its refill and a nice buzzed sensation washes over me so I switch to sparkling water, which again I've never had, by the middle of the movie. I slip my flats off and curl up on the couch and into Peeta. He doesn't mind, in fact I'm pretty sure Peeta scoots even closer to me as he moves an arm around my back to rest on my hip.

If someone were to look at us, they would have thought that we've been on thousand dates instead of this being our first, and regrettably our last. I try not to think of that part. Maybe I can work a date night into our contract. Maybe I'll tell him that he can spank me if he brings me back here once a month. Really that's not a lot to ask for.

I must have dozed off because Peeta is gently shaking my shoulder telling me that the movie is over.

"Sorry," I yawn.

Peeta shakes his head. "No worries. Come on, let's go."

Peeta snakes his hand with mine and gives it a gentle squeeze, alighting all of my nerve endings that had just been asleep seconds ago.

Once we secured in Peeta's car, the air seems to grow thick around us. We both know what's next and it's like we're nervous high school students, both of us not wanting to bring _it_ up.

"I can take you home if you want or you can stay the night with me, we wouldn't do anything if you weren't ready. I want you to be ready and comfortable."

"I am not going to lie and say I'm not nervous, but I'm ready. I want to go to your place Peeta."

A weight has lifted off of him as soon as I say it. "Oh thank you. All I've thought about since picking you up is getting at dress off you."

"This is Prim's dress," I don't know why I say it.

"Well, I hope Prim isn't too attached to it because I insist that you make it a part of your daily wardrobe."

Peeta's hand comes to rest on my bare thigh. An incredible heat floods through my body. So this is what being sexually attracted to someone feels like? The feeling of needing a fire extinguisher by your person at all times in the very case that you catch on fire. Peeta will make me catch on fire, I know it, and then I'll be known forever as the Girl on Fire.

Peeta parks in one of the many parking spaces that are just for him and cuts the car engine quickly. In one swift movement he's undone his seat belt, unclipped mine, and has my face in his hands making quick work of kissing me.

I can't help but to moan into Peeta's mouth as his tongue massages mine, but the animalistic sound seems to please Peeta. I don't know where to put my hands but I remember those awful, dirty thoughts about running my fingers through his beautiful hair, so I do.

"Any more of this and I'll take you right here in the car," Peeta says as soon as he pulls away from me. "Come on."

Peeta gets out of the work and rounds the car to open the door for me, holding onto my waist as we get to the elevator. Punching in the code for the penthouse floor, the elevator makes it's ascend. With the elevator, the ache in my body climbs higher and higher until I swear, just one look from Peeta and I'll bust at the seams.


	6. We're on Fire

**So I'm updating early cause sex, also because I'm afraid I won't get the time to update it next week. I hope y'all like it. **  
><strong>love love love the reviews, they keep me going.<strong>  
><strong>come talk to me on tumblr (itsmorrgan) you'll get to read previews of the newest chapters even before they're posted!<strong>

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><p>I'm not sure how we got from the elevator and into Peeta's bedroom, but somehow we're standing in front of the massive bed that I woke up in just this morning. It's amazing that my drunken phone call to Peeta happened only last night; not even a full twenty-four hours ago.<p>

"You can change your mind Katniss," Peeta says as if he really doesn't want to do this.

"I'm not changing my mind. Are you?" I ask quietly.

"God no," Peeta tilts his pelvis into my just to emphasize how he isn't going to be changing his mind. "I'm actually having a hard time not tying you to the bed right now."

"You can if you want." Why am I even suggesting this?

"No. Tonight is about hearts and flowers and first dates. There won't be whips and chains on this first date."

"Does that mean there will be a second?"

Peeta looks down at my curiously. "We'll see. Enough talking."

Peeta's lips silence me, working me into a frenzy as he uses his expert tongue to lure mine out of my mouth. I start to slip my hands down his shoulders but Peeta halts, taking his hands off my hips, grabbing my own and pinning them behind my back. You can take the Dom out of the Red Room of Pain but you can't take the Red Room of Pain out of the Dom. It doesn't matter anyways, much. Though I'd like to run my fingers over those solid abs hidden underneath Peeta's button down shirt, not having use of my hands ensures that I have less to fuck up.

Peeta backs away from me suddenly. "You're wearing too much clothing."

His fingertips graze along the hem of my—Prim's—dress, slowly going higher and higher until the knit material is over my hips, and then my ribs, ghosting over my breasts before I am lifting my arms up automatically to allow Peeta to pull the interfering garment from body.

"Fuck," Peeta mutters to himself. "You're going to be the death of me, I can already tell."

More kissing, more innocent touches from Peeta's fingers as mine stay dormant at my sides like instructed, more passion, and more realness now that I'm standing in just my underclothing and blue flats. Peeta pushes me onto the bed, gently. He stands before me and drinks me in. I refuse to show my self-consciousness at such an intimate moment. If I can skin a squirrel, I can have a man look at me without getting squeamish.

Peeta lifts my left leg and divests my shoe from my foot before doing it to the right one. I wriggle my body as his places soft kisses up both of my legs.

"You need to stay still, Katniss."

Oh god, that'll be impossible. But I try my hardest, biting my lip and trying to concentrate on anything other than the building pressure that continues to reach new heights. Oh god, Peeta's lips feel amazing dancing over my skin.

"You have the most beautiful skin, the most beautiful body. Let's see what your breasts look like," in one quick movement, Peeta's hand is snaking around my back, unhooking my bra and pushing the straps down my arms seductively. "I was right, the most beautiful breasts as well."

Peeta's words have poisoned my brain, turning it to mush. We make eye contact briefly. Just enough to see that Peeta's normally soft blue eyes have been replaced with the color of a storm; a storm of lust.

Peeta dips his head down and brushes his nose against the tip of my nipple before latching onto it with a suck. I gasp out loud and my back bows off of the bed. Peeta's lips forms a smirk against my flamed skin and does it again, rolling the other nipple with his thumb and fore finger until it's at a stiff peak.

I'm making noises that I didn't know I could make; mewling, whining, and moaning. I rake my fingers through Peeta's hair, no longer able to control myself. Peeta doesn't seem to mind and I deem this to be a safe zone for touching.

"You're so responsive. I'm sure I could make you come just like this. Would you like that?" Peeta chuckles before switching to attack my other breast.

"Please Peeta," I plea. I'm so desperate for this release.

Peeta looks down at me. "I like when you beg. Not normally my style, but then again this is not my normal style either."

It's me that initiates the kiss this time. I twine our lips and tongues together, pulling him by his hair until we're practically fused as one. It's this time that Peeta moans. He reluctantly pulls away and slithers down my body.

"Let's see if you're ready for me."

I have no idea what Peeta means but he pulls my panties off of my hips and past my feet until they are with the rest of the clothes piled on the floor. I close my eyes tightly as Peeta pulls my legs apart and slides in between them.

He gasps and I immediately open my eyes to see what's wrong. "What's wrong?" I ask in a panic.

"Nothing is wrong, Katniss, just the opposite. Head to toe perfection, better than my dreams."

I blush. "I'm not perfect. I didn't do anything on your list of requirements."

"We'll have to rework the requirements because I want you look exactly like this," Peeta punctuates this statement with a kiss to my most sensitive area.

My hold on his hair only greatens. With the rate Peeta's tongue is working over my clit, he'll be bald in seconds. I feel a finger enter me, very slowly, working in a circle to stretch me out a bit. Then another one is added and it's like a button is pushed and all the pressure that's built up is all of the sudden being launched like a rocket, sending me to the moon.

I would have sold my soul to Peeta in the moments where Peeta continues to lap at me to prolong my orgasm. I'd do anything to feel like this every day. To fall apart from Peeta's mouth, or his hands, his _cock_, over and over again. Yes, I'll sign the damned contract and anything else that requires me signature just to feel like that again.

I don't even feel or notice Peeta peeling off his shirt and his pants, reaching over to the nightstand to retrieve a condom and putting it on before positioning himself over me with his stiff erection resting at my entrance. Peeta places one kiss on my lips before speaking, "Something tells me that was your first orgasm."

I nod my head as I feel Peeta slowly beginning to enter me. "It was."

"It belongs to me. You're mine, Katniss. Just say yes."

I gasp. "Yes." Peeta's entered me fully now. It didn't hurt as much as I was expecting it to, but the stretching is uncomfortable. I wiggle beneath Peeta to try and adjust myself and Peeta lets out an animalistic groan.

"You're going to unman me if you keep moving like that," Peeta jokes then with a much sterner tone says, "stay still."

I stay absolutely still, or at least I try to as Peeta begins to rhythmically pumping in and out of me. The feeling is so deliciously sweet, the uncomfortable stretching feeling is all but gone and my body starts to accept the Peeta's intrusion. I can't believe it but eventually I'm shouting things like harder or faster or more. Yes to all three of those things.

That special feeling is starting to make an appearance again. I want it to last longer this time but I can't stop it as it starts to bubble over unexpectedly, causing my body to once again soar to new height. It's only moments before I can faintly hear Peeta enjoying this high for himself.

I close my eyes and breathe Peeta in; sweat, sex, something manly, yet with traces of sugar and maybe dill. I breathe in deeper to get more of the intoxicating scent while Peeta turns me onto my side and spoons me from behind. I don't get the chance I ask if I should go into the other bedroom before I'm fast asleep.

I wake up expecting to see my bland walls of my even blander walls but I'm happily greeted by the wonderful artworks adorning the walls of Peeta's bedroom. Peeta; he's not in bed next to me and the sheets are no longer warm from his body heat. The clock reads almost three in the morning but that doesn't stop me from slipping out of bed quietly and wrapping the sheet around my body because my clothing has seemingly gone missing to go and search for him.

I stop at the two other doors in this hallway to see if any life is on the other side but all I hear is quiet before I make my way into the living room. I don't see Peeta immediately; he's tucked away in the corner facing an easel, deep in thought since he didn't hear me walking down the hallway loudly to make my presence known.

I stand off to the side of Peeta, not wanting him to break concentration, just wanting to observe him in such a relaxed state. I never noticed how tense he always seemed. Even during sex there was rigidity present. As the paint leaves the paintbrush and sweeps down the canvas in a fluid motion I see a familiarity. The beautiful paintings that are hung along the walls all belong to Peeta. Even the astonishing meadow field one is a work of Peeta. I immediately want to ask him about where he got his inspiration from but I'm once again distracted by what he's painting.

It's me that is coming to life via paints and strokes. The colors of the rainbow meddled with hues of grays and blacks and browns until my face is formed and my eyes are staring directly at me, so lifelike that it's uncanny.

I decide to make my presence known before I get caught spying. I make my footsteps much louder causing Peeta to whip around to face me.

"It's beautiful, _I'm_ beautiful. Is this how you see me?"

"Yes." Peeta pulls me onto his grasp, spinning me around so my back is placed against his bare his chest, securing my hands in his in a crisscross motion across my torso.

"You need glasses because this is not how I look."

"Maybe it's you that need glasses because I assure you my vision is perfect."

I'm glad Peeta can't see my blush.

"Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I woke up to an empty bed," I offer as an explanation. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I don't sleep well. I'm not used to sharing a bed with anyone else."

"Oh," I respond. "I can sleep somewhere else, if you'd like that?"

I can feel Peeta shaking his head no. "Your date isn't over until the sun comes up. You've got a couple more hours of hearts and flowers."

"Then why waste it sleeping?"

I feel a devilish grin on my bare shoulder right before Peeta sinks his teeth into my flesh a little harder than I would expect but not hard enough to break through the skin. What surprises me the most is instead of letting out something along the lines that would tell Peeta that he's hurting me, I moan. It's a small, breathy and barely audible moan but it escapes my mouth nonetheless. With that singular sound I can feel Peeta hardening against my bottom.

Peeta stands up suddenly and spins me around, pinning me against the window. The sheet that was doing a poor job covering my nude form underneath slips off of my body into a forgotten pile on the floor at our feet and Peeta hastily kicks it aside.

With Peeta securing my hands above my head with one of his large hands, his other is free to grope at my breasts and tweak my nipples into stiff, painful peaks. His lips and tongue and teeth attack my sweet spot on my neck until he has me trying to grind my naked pelvis against his clothed one. I groan with need. Peeta isn't allowing me any sort of friction to cool the building fire between my legs.

"Patience Katniss," Peeta hushes me.

I let another groan, and try to bring us together, not to find release but this time to defy him. I should turn away now; tell him that I'm not the obedient girl he'd want me to be. But I'm under Peeta's spell and if he has me wait any longer, I'm sure I'd do anything that he asked of me, with a smile on my face.

Finally, Peeta's hand finds its way between my wet folds and delicately traces over that bundle of nerves that makes my eye flutter shut and my back arch every time he passes by it.

"Fuck Katniss, you're sopping wet."

Normal Katniss would be appalled at Peeta's statement but the current Katniss that is residing in my body now is rejoicing at the praise she's receiving.

I feel one long, thick finger enter me, then two. Working me in and out and in a circle to open me up for him. My hips have a mind of their own as they sway back and forth to try to gain some satisfaction from this sweet torture. I only want one thing right now and it's hidden in Peeta's pants.

"Peeta," I gasp as he flicks his fingers against a sweet spot inside me. "I need you please."

"Shh, baby. Just feel it."

I feel it. Oh, I feel it so good. The way the delicious pressure builds up inside me to the point where I can feel it behind my eyes. The slow torture of Peeta's pointer and middle finger working me up into a frenzy. This isn't how he was like last night. After the initial taking, Peeta was fast. It's like he's trying to prove just how gentle, or hearts and flowers, he can be. But I don't want gentle and I can definitely do without hearts and flowers.

I start to voice my protests when like a tsunami, my orgasm crashes over me. Completely unexpected but wonderful. I shout as Peeta works my clit fast now, prolonging this dizzying feeling. I've engulfed the entire world in fire and I have no shame in it.

I open my eyes just in time to see Peeta popping his two wet fingers into his mouth.

"So delicious," he hums. "Let's go back to bed for round two."

We don't get much sleep after that.


	7. Head Over Heels

**I'm on my break at work so I thought I'd post this since FSOG came out in the theaters today. Probably not going to go to see it since I didn't think the casting choice was all that great plus I didn't like the books. I know, crazy that I didn't like the books since I'm writing Everlark fanfiction about it. It's just that I wasn't a fan of Christian's character being so so cold and distant. I try to make Peeta a little more caring and affectionate because there is way more to BDSM than just the whips and chains. **

**I've never been in a BDSM relationship before nor do I have plans of doing it in the future. I have however done a lot of research on the subject so I don't write something wrong and offend anybody that is. In the next few chapters, you'll see more of that relationship between Peeta and Katniss unfold. **

**If anyone doesn't like the way that I'm writing some of these scenes and you feel that I'm going about it in the wrong way, do not hesitate to PM me. I really don't want to paint BDSM relationships in a bad light.**

**Thank you for all of those who have read and reviewed so far, I love you.**

**Follow me on Tumblr itsmorrgan**

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><p>The next time I wake up it's to unfamiliar voices and there's a heavy weight over my midsection. I slowly open my eyes and allow myself to adjust to the harsh sun coming through the window. The voices are getting louder but not loud enough that I can make out what is exactly being said.<p>

"Peeta," I whisper urgently, removing his arm that I secured tightly against my waist.

"Hm?" he barely answers.

"Wake up."

"No," he grumbles, pulling me back into him. I can feel the beginning of an erection pressing against my backside. He laughs, "Part of me seems to be awake."

"Now isn't the time," I press.

"Oh, Ms. Everdeen now is exactly the time."

Just as Peeta rolls on top of me the bedroom door opens. I let out a loud mix between a shriek and a yell as I try my best to cover myself with the only sheet that's still left on the bed. Two men stand in the doorway; a handsome man with a brilliant bronze coif and the man with blonde stringy hair that I recognize from Peeta's office.

"And that's how you wake up, Little Brother!" The bronze one claps his hands together and gives us an award winning smiles.

"I told you that the Boy wasn't available," the older one said gruffly.

"Yeah but Haymitch you didn't telling that he was in here boning a hottie. Hi, I'm Finnick. I'm Peeta's better looking older brother," he introduces himself to me.

"I don't think so," I retort and I'm rewarded by a look of shock on Finnick's face.

"She's a keeper, Peet."

Peeta smirks. "Why are you here?"

"We were supposed to get brunch today but you stood me up so I came by to see why. I don't take offense now that I know why."

"I'm glad that I haven't offended you. Now can you both please leave my room so we can get dressed?"

Finnick gives us another large smile before closing the door behind him and Haymitch. I'm mortified. I look to Peeta, who has climbed out of bed and is now walking to his dresser buck naked. I watch as he dresses nonchalantly. How can Peeta act like what just happened isn't a big deal? Two people walked in on us about to have sex!

"You getting out of bed or do I have to carry you out to properly meet my brother?" Peeta snickers.

I immediately get up, constantly encouraging myself to be not the least bit self-conscious like Peeta is while I find my clothes. Once I'm dressed I finger comb through my knotted hair making Peeta laugh and shake his head. Why does he think this is so funny?

"Do all your sex slaves meet your family?" I ask before Peeta opens his bedroom door.

Peeta did not think that was funny. His smile all but vanishes from his face as he looks seriously at me. "You aren't a slave, Katniss. You are my partner in a BDSM relationship. At least I hope you will be."

"I thought after tonight, my answer would be obvious."

Peeta shakes his head. "You haven't had time to research any of this yet. I want you to know what you're getting yourself into. Remember, you have to learn to walk before you can run."

"I've been running all of my life," I mutter to myself.

Peeta hears me and kisses the top of my head in response. "None of the other girls have met my family. I'm all too sure that my family thinks I play for the other team."

"Why not?"

"I don't like mixing work with pleasure with family," he answers simply.

"So why am I going out there to properly meet your brother?"

Peeta shrugs. "I guess this is another first for me."

"I thought the night of firsts was over the moment the sun came up?"

"Oh Katniss, I have a feeling that we'll be having many firsts together."

I tug the skirt of my dress down as Peeta and I descend down the hall together. Finnick and Haymitch are conversing on the couch. Well Finnick is on the couch, sprawled out with his feet on the coffee table, and Haymitch is standing off to the side with his hands folded in front of him.

"So I called Mom," Finnick starts the moment we enter the living room. "She insists that you bring the lovely Katniss to dinner tonight so everyone can see for themselves."

Peeta puts his lips against my ear and mutters "See I told you everyone thought I was gay."

"If Katniss is up for a night of torture, I have no objections," Peeta then says to everyone.

"I can't," I tell him. "I promised Prim that she could read her speech to me tonight and I have a big day at work tomorrow and need to be home early."

"Well then, we'll just have to schedule it for another time." Finnick jumps off of the couch and starts heading for the foyer where the elevator is. "Peet, Annie requests some of your cheese buns with tonight's dinner. You know how hormonal she is at the moment so bring enough that we can take home, will you? I've come quite attached to my balls and would love for them to remain on my person. Later lovers." Before the elevator doors close on Finnick her blows us a kiss and flashes another one of his dazzling smiles.

We remain silence for a moment after Finnick leaves, none of know exactly what to say. At least I don't, and I don't think Haymitch is one for conversation.

Peeta sighs and makes his way into the kitchen. "Hungry?"

I shake my head no; surprisingly I don't have much of an appetite at the moment. I feel weird standing in the middle of the living room while Peeta rifles through the cupboard for something to eat, so I set out and search for my phone. It's in my purse that's sitting on one of the tables by the entrance.

I have a few texts, two are from Prim but three texts and a missed call are from Gale. I groan. I don't want to talk to him now. I haven't talked to him since Friday, where he tried and failed to stick his tongue down my throat.

_**Gale Hawthorne: I'm so sorry Katnip. I was drunk and wasn't thinking clearly. **_

_**Gale Hawthorne: Answer my call Katniss. I'm trying to apologize for my massive fuck up.**_

_**Gale Hawthorne: Prim told me you were with Mr. Moneybags. Call me when you're done. **_

_**Prim Everdeen: How was the date? I'm guessing it was good cause you didn't sleep in your own bed last night. (; **_

_**Prim Everdeen: Gale called me. He seems pissed. What else is new? Lol. **_

I don't text Gale back. I'm still mad at him and he could use the silent treatment for the next couple days. I do text Prim back though.

_**Katniss Everdeen: Date went well. I'll be home soon.**_

_**Prim Everdeen: Did you do the dirty? (; (; (;**_

I cringe. No I do not want my little sister to know that I did indeed 'do the dirty' last night, multiple times. I don't answer back and let my silence answer the question instead. God, shoot me now.

I do need to be home soon. It's nearly eleven and I hadn't given much thought about what would happen after last night. I was so focused on getting through the date that I'm treading in uncharted waters. What's next?

"Peeta?" I call out. He's disappeared from my view.

"In here," he calls out.

I follow his voice to the other side of the dining room. I saw Haymitch head off in this direction, maybe they're together.

I was right. Peeta and Haymitch are in what appears to be Haymitch's office. One wall is filled with TV monitors that show pictures of various parts of Peeta's home in the clouds. There is the upstairs hallway that leads to 'my room' and the playroom, the hallway that leads to Peeta's room, a view of the living room, kitchen, and dining room. I can see the foyer with the elevator in view as well as the parking garage many stories below us.

"What's all of this?" I ask.

"When you're the richest person in all of West Coast, it's a good idea to make sure you have good security, Sweetheart," Haymitch tells me.

I frown at his nickname for me. _Sweetheart._ I wonder if every other girl has been called sweetheart by him too.

"Has anyone ever tried to break in before?"

"No," Peeta answers. "But it's better to be safe than sorry."

"That's smart."

Peeta nods. "Katniss, this is Haymitch Abernathy by the way. He's my bodyguard of sorts. Haymitch this is Katniss Everdeen."

"Hello," I say softly.

Haymitch smirks but doesn't say anything. I don't like him, I can already tell. He's not sweet and warm like Peeta is. _Ha._ Peeta isn't sweet nor is he warm, he's told me this many times. I personally think that he's too hard on himself. Just from last night he could be all hearts and flowers if he wanted to be.

"I need to be home soon."

Peeta nods. "Yeah, let's eat something first. I can't take you home without being a proper gentleman and feeding you first. Come on."

I sit at the breakfast bar and watch Peeta while he whips up two simple omelets with mushrooms and bell peppers. The frying pan and spatula are likes extensions of his arms just by how easily he's flipping the fluffy bed of eggs with the flick of his wrists. I remember that his Dad was or is a chef of some kind and must have taught Peeta the trade.

"So," I start out. "What kind of research should I be doing?"

"Just type something into Google and dive head first. Familiarize yourself with the world of BDSM. It may seem scary but it's all about trust, Katniss. We have to trust each other for this to work. That and communicate, there is nothing more important. You'll learn it all during training, of course."

_Of course._ "I'm going to have to keep reminding myself to clear the history. I'd hate for Prim to stumble upon whips and chains and gags."

"You two share a computer?"

"Yeah, normally I'd just go to the library if I needed to do research. But obviously I can't do that here."

Peeta smiles and with one last flick of his wrist, the omelet is on one of the plates. "No, we can't have that."

Peeta comes to sit beside me at the breakfast bar once his omelet is done and we eat in silence together. It's a simple omelet and I'm sure that anybody with average intelligence in cooking skills could make one, but this is the best omelet I've ever eaten. I'm sure that I'll gain a few pounds during these next few months, despite the vigorous exercise that Peeta is going to put me through.

Peeta tells me not to worry about the dishes, Effie will get them, but that doesn't stop me from washing my plate and fork as well as Peeta's and placing them on the drying rake. Effie and put them away.

"I made an appointment with a gynecologist for Thursday. I would have liked one for tomorrow but Thursday was the earliest they had an opening, and that's only because of a cancelation. I'd suggest the shot, it's the easiest form," Peeta announces while driving me back home.

I hold back a scoff; look at Peeta briefly before turning my attention out the window. I'm not sure if it's my arms folded over my chest or my lack of a response that gets him to look over at me.

"What?" he asks dumbly.

"Why would you make me a doctor's appointment for birth control?"

"Because it's in the contract."

"Why do I have to put things into my body when _you_ can just wear a condom?" I ask rudely.

"With all of the sexual endeavors we'll be taking part in in various places and positions, we won't have time for condoms," Peeta explains to me as if I'm a child. I kind of am compared to him.

I see his point but I still don't like it. "It's still my body," I mutter harshly.

"Sign the contract and it'll be my body too."

I look over at Peeta in time to see him grinning. I'm not sure if I want to punch or kiss that smug look straight off of his face.

When Peeta stops in front of my house, he looks at me warily.

"What?" I ask him nervously.

"I just have a feeling that this will be the last time I see you."

"You'll see me again, even if it's at a distance during Prim's graduation."

"I don't think I could keep myself at a distance."

"I wouldn't want you to anyways, despite you going behind my back and scheduling doctor's appointments for me."

I lean in to kiss Peeta but he moves and kisses my cheek instead. Oh right, the sun is up now. Hearts and flowers is over with.

"Call or text me if you have any problems with the research. Remember trust and communication is key."

I nod and exit the car and start to make my way up the sidewalk to my front door but Peeta calls my name before I can get far. I turn back around to see if I had left anything behind. "Later lover," Peeta winks and blows me a kiss obviously mocking what his brother did earlier. Peeta does it better, of course.

I roll my eyes and stifle a laugh behind my hand and continue my walk to my front door. I open it then turn back and wave my final goodbye to Peeta. I can't imagine this being the last time seeing him. It can't be. No matter what I learn now, it won't matter. I've already experienced how Peeta can make me feel, what he can make me do with just his fingers.

Prim is flopped on the couch, one leg over the arm and the other is over the back, her head with her blonde hair is drooped off of the cushion as she flips through the channels of our basic cable.

"You're home!" She bolts home immediately.

I smile slightly at her but don't say anything. I need to get out of these clothes and shower off the remnants Peeta that still linger on my body. I trudge up the stairs and into the bathroom, flinging off my clothes and tossing them into the hamper. I turn on the water and allow it to heat up before pulling up the shower diverter and stepping in.

Just in time too. Prim come barreling into the bathroom just as I begin to wet my hair. I guess that's what I get for not locking the door.

"So?" Is all she says.

"So what?" Like I'm supposed to know what she means by that.

"So, tell me everything. Where did Peeta take you? How is he in bed?"

"Primrose!" I scold.

"What?"

"You know what!"

"Oh come on Kat. I'm eighteen. I think I know what not coming home means. I also think we're both mature enough to talk about it together. The only reason I don't talk about my sex life with you is because yours has been pretty nonexistent until now."

"Primrose Everdeen, you do not have a sex life. I know how to work deadly weapons but I do not need one to cause bodily harm on Rory."

I can almost hear the eye roll. "Anyways, where did Peeta take you?"

"To the movies," I answer.

"That's it? Anybody can take anyone to the movies. I thought for sure that Peeta would have gotten a private jet to take you Paris or something."

"That's not even plausible."

"Who cares? When you've got more money than Mr. Monopoly, time is irrelevant."

I laugh. "We went to this theatre that shows older movies and you can order dinner. He used to go there a lot with his family as a kid. We saw Jurassic Park, it was way better than time hopping to Paris."

"Why didn't you lead with that? Katniss, that it the best date ever. He took you some place that holds sentimental value, Jesus. He must really, really, really like you. Have you made plans to see each other again?"

"We'll see each other at your graduation. That's all I know for now."

"You should ask him to dinner with us. Mom got the night off."

_Mom didn't take the night off when I graduate, either time._ I don't say that out loud of course. Prim and I both already know that Prim is the favorite between the two of us.

"Maybe. Now get out so I can finish my shower in peace."

Prim leaves and it's not long after that I'm turning off the water and flinging back the shower curtain with an old towel wrapped around my torso to try and stay warm. I dash into my small room across the hall and close the door. I rifle through my drawers to find something comfortable to wear. Maybe the all of the adrenaline that I've had coursing through my veins is finally wearing out, and that's why I can feel all of the pain from last night's activities. The pain was – is – worth it though. I'd take twice as much pain just to feel a fraction of what Peeta made me feel last time. I've never been one to dabble in drugs illegally but if I were, I'm sure Peeta would beat out anything that I could find out of the streets.

"Katniss!" Prim breaks me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah?" I shout back.

"You've got to sign for a package."

I furrow my eyebrows. I'm not expecting any sort of package. I pull a clean shirt over my head and for downstairs. At the door there is a man in a uniform that isn't worn by any mail delivery service that I know.

"Are you Katniss Everdeen?" he asks.

I nod my head as I inspect his name tag. _Marc, Nuts and Volts. _

"I have been instructed to deliver this laptop to you. If you'd like I was also instructed to walk you through how to use everything since this model hasn't hit shelves yet."

"And who instructed you to do all of this?"

Marc looks down at his clipboard for a moment. "Peeta Mellark, Ma'am."

"Of course," I mutter to myself.

Marc hands me the laptop that's till packaged in its brown cardboard box. "Would you like me to show you how everything works?"

"No thank you, I'm sure I can figure it out."

Marc nods. "Certainly. If you'd just sign here."

I sign Marc's clipboard and just before I get ready to shut the door, he hands me a small enclosed card and bids me a good day.

Prim is practically dying for me to open up the laptop so I do that before reading the card. The laptop is for the most part already set up. Google Chrome is already downloaded, as well as iTunes. All that needs to be done is connect it to WIFI, which we steal from our neighbors.

I open up the card hoping to find an explanation but I don't.

_A gift for your research._

_Remember to call or text me with anything._

_I mean it._

_PM_

I roll my eyes. If Peeta thinks that I'm really going to keep this ridiculous _gift_ then he has another thing coming.


	8. Heels Over Head

**I am so insanely sorry that you've all had to wait longer than normal for this chapter to come out. I am so busy right now that it's hard to find time to even shower. I have a few moments before I have to go work for yet another 12 hour shift and thought that I'd post this quickly. **

**The dynamic between Peeta and Katniss is going to differ greatly from Anna and Christian because I don't want Peeta to be a total dick and I'd like Katniss to have more of a voice. Despite Peeta being the 'dom' in this relationship, hopefully you'll see that Katniss is just as much controlling.**

**I'm currently writing the next chapter so I hope that it'll be up soon. (the next two hours that I have by myself is Wednesday so we'll shoot for that.) And if you're waiting for the last chapter of All the While, I'm getting to it. I just don't want it to end. **

**If you ever have a question or a comment about this story ask me on tumblr (itsmorrgan) and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.**

**Thank you all for the love and support, it keeps me going. 3**

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><p>I haven't contacted Peeta yet, even though it's already Wednesday. I haven't started my <em>'research'<em> yet and I'm afraid that if I call him, he'll know that I've neglected to do it. I cannot let him know that I'm actually scared of what I'll find out. I'm not sure if I'm afraid that I'll end up liking the idea of being beaten for pleasure or I'll be so terrified that I run for the hills and away from Peeta. And the thought of not being with Peeta is enough to make a weird feeling develop in the pit of my stomach. So I haven't done any of the research, though I've vowed to myself that I'd at least skim tonight.

"Katniss," Johanna calls my name.

I totally forgot that I promised to eat lunch with her. I smile and prepare myself to grovel my make up for my awful memory. Johanna is technically my only friend here so far, I can't fuck this up.

"Hey Jo, sorry I totally forgot about lunch."

"No biggie," she waves me off. "I sensed that you were having an off day so I took it upon myself to grab a sandwich for you. Is turkey okay?"

I nod my head as Johanna rummages through a paper bag and hands me a plastic wrapped sandwich with crusty bread and leafy greens.

"Thank you."

"No problem. Want to tell me what's got you out of whack?" Johanna asks as she takes a seat next to me at my desk and begins to unwrap her own sandwich.

I shrug. "It's a long story."

"Does it have to do with you not speaking to Gale because he tried to kiss you outside of the bar and a certain Blonde Billionaire came to the rescue?"

My eyes widen. How does Johanna know that I haven't made up with Gale because he tried shoving his tongue in my mouth?

"Gale told me," Jo began to explain. "He told me how you two dated briefly but you broke it off before anything really happened. I think he got the hint that you aren't into him like that when you left with Peeta Mellark and didn't get home until the next morning and then went on a date with him that night and again didn't come home."

"How do you know about the whole Peeta thing?"

"Your sister told Rory and Rory told Gale and Gale told me last night when I mentioned how you were all distracted at work."

"Why were you talking to Gale last night?"

Johanna shrugs this time but her smile gives her away. "He's got a nice butt."

"Like a naked butt or jean-clad butt?"

"One doesn't kiss and tell," Johanna tells me before shoving her sandwich into her mouth.

"You've kissed Gale? Wait, have you slept with Gale? You had sex with my best friend!" I can't contain how shocked I am.

"Would you be mad if I said you're using the wrong word tense?"

"You're sleeping with him, still?"

Johanna nods and I lean back in my chair, my brain being efficiently blown.

"So are you mad? I'll stop if you've got some sort of weird predatory hold with Gale."

"No predatory hold. I'm just shocked. How did this happen?"

"Well I'm pretty sure he is just doing it to get back at you."

"And you're fine with him using you?"

"I like his dick, so it's a win-win situation."

I cringe at the mental pictures at surface.

"But seriously," Johanna says. "Return his call and make up with the poor bastard already. I'm starting to feel bad for the guy, and I'm allergic to feelings."

I nod my head. I'll call Gale after I get home from work. Once I get home and before I start the daunting task of researching.

A few minutes before I normally pack up for the day and head home my boss; Seneca Crane comes waltzing up to my desk with his assistant, Enobaria Stevens. I'd only seen him once after my initial interview; I'd seen her half a dozen times. They're a weird pair, between his dramatic beard and her oddly pointed teeth, I would never picture them as scientists but more along the lines of want-to-be trend setters from the future.

"Katniss," Mr. Crane purrs as he perches himself on the edge of my desk, far too close for comfort.

"Mr. Crane," I smile. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Actually there is. Normally we'd have a seasoned veteran work on something like this but I think you'd be perfect for the job seeing your transcripts. We have a project that comes straight from the top, from Mr. Snow himself that will be right up your alley."

Mr. Snow is the owner and founder of Districts Energy. He's quite old and quite a bit wealthier. Mr. Snow is known to have connections with the government and it's not uncommon for some of the higher employees to get job transfers to work with some of the President's men.

"What's the project?"

"Normally we work with ways to make reusable energy, but in this instance it's a little different. You see, there is this berry that looks similar to the blueberry, it is called nightlock. It's very, very deadly. Within minutes or even seconds of consumption you'll be dead. The government has been looking into using it as a way out if a soldier were to get caught. However the berry itself is very fragile so it doesn't travel well. That is why it's your job to break down the compounds and find a way to make it into something inconspicuous and easy to get to in a moment's notice."

"Certainly," I nod. I can't believe that in my second week of working here I'm already getting an assignment as huge as this.

"Excellent. We'll get started next week."

I almost miss the wink that Seneca gives me before he's sliding off my desk and sauntering away with Enobaria hot on his trail.

Gale's constant word of the day is sorry. He said it to me at least twelve times while on the phone with him for only twenty minutes. All is forgiven, Gale knows his places. And when I asked him if he had feelings for Jo or was sleeping with her some sort of revenge, he promised that though it may have started out that way, Gale honestly enjoys the time he's spending with her. Not that any guy wouldn't like to spend time with Johanna. She's hot, smart, and willing to try anything in bed at least once or twice. She's the type of girl that Peeta should be with.

Thinking of Peeta, as soon as I make my way home I briefly say hello to Prim before shutting myself into my room and start up my new laptop. I have to start this research tonight. I'll be seeing him on Friday, two days from now, and if I haven't started by then, Peeta will take that as means not to continue.

My fingers hover over the keys as I stare at the Google search bar. Slowly I begin to type in _BDSM sex_ then hit enter. I click the first link and it brings me to a video. I've never watched porn before and I feel sneaky as I plug my headphones into the jack and take a quick look at my door before pushing play.

She's tied up and suspended in midair. Both ankles are tied to two support bars as well as her wrists, causing her to be spread eagle for the camera. Her breasts are being squeezed by a figure eight of rope turning them red and purple. She's crying, her eye make-up is streaming down her face and the ball gag in her mouth is probably making it hard for her to breath. I don't even realize that a man in all black is coming into view with a whip until it's connecting to the poor girl's skin, turning her back into a strip of red flesh. She lets out muffled scream after muffled scream as the man whips her over and over again. On her back, stomach, breasts, the backs of her thighs, the insides of her thighs, _there._ I watch as he flicks the whip so the leathery tips hit between the girl's lower lips, right at her clit. I can see how much pain she's in. How real this is.

I can't do that. I can't let Peeta tie me up until I can't move and put a gag in my mouth so I can't talk and whip me until my screams scratch up my throat until I'm mute. There would be no way I could get the safe word out or give a signal with my hands that are tied up. That's not a form of trust. That's abuse. Some girls may enjoy the punishment but I do not.

I don't even realize that I'm crying until I feel the tears hitting my lips. That settles it. I don't care how amazing Peeta's dick made me feel, he'll never get the chance to do to me what the man in the video is doing to that girl. I find my phone and scroll to Peeta's name. I should call him but I can't let him hear how bad this is all affecting me.

_**Katniss Everdeen: I can't do it.**_

I don't offer any explanation or an apology. I just can't do it. I don't even wait for Peeta to reply before I'm turning off my phone and the computer. I'll return the laptop and the music box to his work. I'll give them to Meredith so I won't even have to see him.

I strip out of my work clothes and put on a pair of ratty sweatpants and a tee shirt that I've had since middle school then slip back into bed and under the covers. I curl into myself and try to stop the tears. I curse myself for feeling this way about not being able to see a boy I don't even know again. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I put aside my feelings for his own. I never put my needs and wants before anybody else, but this time it's necessary.

I wake up with a headache from crying myself to sleep. The tears are still wet on my cheeks and my nose is still stuffy. There's talking downstairs, it's what woke me up. I think Prim was calling my name, but I hear here climbing the stairs so I don't bother answering back. There's a light knock on the door followed by my name. Only it's not Prim that's saying it, it's Peeta.

"Katniss, can I come in please?"

I panic. I didn't want him coming here. I texted him so I wouldn't have to hear or see him ever again. I'm not strong enough for that. I don't say anything as I watch Peeta turn the door handle and pop the door open slowly. Peeta makes his way into my room slowly as if he's trying not to frighten a wild animal.

Peeta stands across the room, looking dapper in his crisp black suit and a tie that matches his eye color. His unruly hair is coiffed back making Peeta look ever the business man. Another reason why I didn't want to see him again is because he's far too handsome for his own good, and Peeta knows it.

"Katniss?" My name is a question.

"Why are you here?"

"I tried calling and texting. You can't just send me that text and that's it."

"That's how I wanted it to be."

"Is this really what you want? I thought we had something."

"I can't be that girl in the video Peeta. I'm not her. I don't like being whipped bloody just for someone else's pleasure."

"Video? Did you watch porn?" Peeta asks.

I nod my head. "It was just one video but it was enough."

"Oh Katniss," Peeta sighs with relief as he sits at the foot of my bed. "It's not like that. That is extreme. What you watched was all for pain. Some people enjoy that. I do not. I like that line that blurs between pain and pleasure. I will whip you, tie you up, but you'll love it. Your body will come to life. We'll take baby steps."

"I can't be_ that_ girl. I _won't _be that girl," I state sternly.

"I don't expect you to be that girl."

I've been toying with the corner of my duvet but with Peeta's announcement I speak a peak at him from through my eyelashes. How would I not be that girl? It's what he wants, isn't it?

"Katniss," Peeta scoots closer to me. "I normally don't do this but since you have no clue what you're getting yourself into, let me show you. You can say no right now and I'll leave. That'll be it, I'll tear up your contract and you won't have to see me again. But if you say yes, I'll show you right now how good we can be together."

"Right now?" I stutter out.

Peeta moves even closer to me, sweeps some of my hair behind my back and hovers his lips over my pulse point. "Right now. Tell me what you want."

Oh God. "But Prim will hear us."

"You better be quiet then," Peeta took that as a yes and started trailing kisses along the column of my neck. Goose bumps break out against my skin.

I don't mean to but I let out a heavy sigh. Peeta smirks against my skin. I am his once again as I feel my body begin to respond to his touches. Peeta gently pushes me down to lay on my back, my head and hair fanned out across my pillow. Peeta's body covers mine; he's got our fingers intertwined so I won't touch him. That's something I quickly picked up. Peeta does not like to be touched, I'm not sure why, and I'm too afraid to ask, but he doesn't, and I'll respect that as long as he keeps touching me.

Peeta placed my hands above my head. "Leave them there," he instructs as he leans away from me.

I watch as Peeta loosens his tie, letting it fall into his hand. He's got a devilish smirk plastered on his face that makes me quiver. "We're going to have fun now Katniss."


	9. So It Begins

**Holy shit, where have I even been? RL is still hectic as fuck and it's not going to slow down in the foreseeable future so updates may become less frequent. I'll try to get two chapters in a month but no promises. I tried editing this chapter this morning but realized that I was going to be late for for so sorry for the spelling mistakes. I know that some of you have offered to beta for me and I would love it if someone would. If anything is interested at all please message me on Tumblr (itsmorrgan) that is the only place where I actually am trying to stay active on.**

**I love getting all of the feedback, I know I don't respond but trust me I am reading them all and grinning like a goof. When I get reviews I really want to get chapters out faster.**

**The last chapter for All the While is still in the works, it's been like two months already and I'm still trying to tie it all together. I just flopped a lot of stuff out with that fic and didn't have a timeline like I have on here so I'm trying to pull together loose ends. **

**The ending of this isn't what I wanted but it'll do, I'm excited for this story to really pick up.**

**This chapter is a lot like a chapter in FSOG book, I took a lot of influence from that but of course Peeta is better than Christian.**

**End Author Note!**

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><p>I sit up quickly and pull my arms into my chest, completely forgetting that Peeta told me to leave them above my head and stay lying own. My nervousness has turned into fear and the look on my face makes Peeta set his tie on my bedside table and reach for my hands, interlocking our fingers together.<p>

"We need a safe word. Sometimes saying no or stop won't mean that you actually want me to stop. But with the safe word, I'll drop everything. You use this word whenever you want, however many times you want. If I'm hurting you or you're uncomfortable, anything at all. I want you to say that word, in fact I encourage it. I don't want to ever hurt you psychically but also mentally, Katniss. Choose a word, something that you'll be able to remember."

I take a look around my bedroom. I spot the music box that Peeta gave me sitting on my dresser. "Mockingjay," I whisper.

"Okay," Peeta says back.

Peeta picks his tie back up from the nightstand and kisses me slowly. "What are you going to say when you want me to stop?"

"Mockingjay," I mumble against his lips, eager for more for his kisses.

"Very good."

Peeta pushes me back down against the mattress and once again Peeta brings my hands up so that they rest on the pillow above my head. This time he doesn't tell me to leave them there. I already know. One of Peeta's hands tangles into my hair to control my head, increasing our already demanding kiss. The other one ghosts down my body starting by trailing his fingertips down the column of my neck, over my collarbone, whispering over my breasts causing my nipples to pebble, down my torso until he reaches the hem of my shirt at my hip. Then he travels back up my body causing the same tingling reaction he created with the first pass. It's a soothing, comforting feeling, Peeta gently stroking my body, mixed in with something gloriously antagonizing.

It's amazing how just simple touches can turn me on so much. I'm damp between my legs and ache to feel some sort of friction. I start to subtly squeeze my thighs back and forth to try and relieve some pressure but I wasn't subtle enough.

"Legs apart, _now_," Peeta demands and I quickly spread my legs as far as they can go without going off the bed immediately. Peeta is impressed. "Very good, Katniss. Very eager, I like that."

Peeta's leaning over me, our chests brushing together each time we take a breath. "I'm going to tie your hands, okay?"

Peeta wants my permission. I nod my head and feel the expensive silk against the back of my hands and wrists as he loops it in and around my wrists and one of the wooden spools of my headboard. Once I'm tied up I give it an experimental tug. It's tight enough to keep me in place for now but if I truly tried to break free, I'd be able to without much difficulty. That thought is comforting.

Peeta sits back to look at me; legs apart with my wrists bound to the bed. It's a sight I know that he likes. There is a large tenting in his slacks. I try not to stare but I can't help it. The thought of his _thing_ going in me is still foreign.

"I think you've seen enough for now, don't you think?" Peeta smirks down at me.

Peeta begins to roll up my shirt until it's up and over my breasts and then my neck and finally until my shirt comes to land over my eyes, blocking out my view of Peeta altogether. Before I get a chance to get used to not being able to see Peeta has stripped me from my sweatpants, leaving me in nothing in a plain pair of black cotton panties.

"I don't think that I'll ever tire seeing you like this Ms. Everdeen. Your body is a masterpiece," Peeta's fingertips lightly graze over the edge of my breast. I can almost see the look of awe on his face through the thick covering of my rolled up shirt.

"Is this okay for you?" he asks me.

"Yes," I whisper out hoarsely. Who knew that I'd be so turned on by being tied to my own bed and ogled at by a man?

"Good. I'm feeling a little parched. I think I'll just go down stairs real quick for a glass of water. Do not move, Katniss."

I start to panic a little as I feel Peeta get up off the bed and then hear the door creak open then shut again. I faintly hear the sound of his footsteps going down the stairs. What if Prim comes into the room while Peeta is gone and sees me like this? Oh my God, what if I get myself untied and covered and Prim doesn't come into my room and Peeta comes back to find me covered and disobeying. Punishment and reward, right? Peeta is supposed to be showing me just how amazing we could be together if I just trust him. I calm myself down, Prim won't come in here. She's probably in her room talking to Rory or her friend Bristol or Bonnie or something.

Peeta comes back into the room with something that he sets down on my bedside table. "Good job, you didn't move an inch."

He's right, I didn't. I want my reward now. I spread my legs a tad bit further hoping that Peeta will see that I am eager for him, I am needy for him.

"Not yet, Katniss," Peeta tells me. "I would like to get better acquainted with your body first. My lips have not kissed all of you yet."

All of my other senses are heightened because I cannot see. I can feel each ridge of Peeta's fingerprints smoothing over my knee and down my shin. Peeta reaches my ankle that is closest to him and he picks up my foot. I feel his lips pressing against my instep. I don't even have time to have fears of my feet smelling bad because it feels so sexual. How can something as simple as a kiss to my foot awaken my body like its doing? Does Peeta have a foot fetish, do I have a foot fetish?

As I'm caught up in my thoughts Peeta's lips have trailed up and calf then to the other leg where kisses his way up my knee. Peeta was serious about wanting to kiss all of me. Higher and higher up my leg until I'm shaking and Peeta's so close to my core. I try and move my body in order to get Peeta to kiss where I want. But Peeta had other ideas.

He backs away from me, leaving my body aching for more of those simple touches. I hear the clink of the glass on my nightstand then feel something shockingly cold against my nipple. I let out a loud gasp and my body bows off the bed.

"Don't move, Katniss. If you move I won't touch you."

I immediately stop moving. I want Peeta to touch me. No, I need Peeta to touch me. I can almost see the pleased look on Peeta's face that I complied so quickly. Peeta continues to rub the ice cube over my nipple until it's at a stiff peak and numb. I bite my lip to fight back the squeals and gasps. That doesn't help however when Peeta pinches my nipple so hard that even the numbness doesn't take any of the mouth-watering pain away.

"Peeta," I moan out. The mixture between pain and pleasure and hot and cold is unlike nothing else. It's a green light right to the center of my body.

"Shh," Peeta trails the ice cube down my stomach, swirling it around my belly button then over my panties. It melts almost instantly.

"Katniss, you're so hot," Peeta says as if I didn't already know. "So responsive to everything. Let's see how wet you are."

Peeta peels my panties back slowly and I hear him groan. I remind myself over and over again not to move my hips back and forth. If I just be patient Peeta will give me what I want. It's hard though, I feel like I am about to burst open at seams.

"Your body is a gift, Katniss. I cannot say that enough. There is no one in this world as beautiful as you," Peeta says in awe.

I can think of at least a hundred girls that are much prettier than I am, but right now it doesn't matter. I am here and they are not. I give out a small pleading groan and Peeta's hands are back on me. They rest just on my hips but they have so many places that they could move to bring me joy; my breasts where his fingers could tweak my nipples into painful peaks or down to between my thighs where he'll caress my folds until I'm withering in pleasure.

It's not his hands that move onto me though, it's his mouth. Peeta's lips latch deliciously onto a nipple and I gasp. A shard of ice twirls around his tongue and I'm hit with a mix of hot and cold. The sensation is unlike anything else. I want to move my lower body, I try a few times, but Peeta's hands remain firmly in place, holding me down as he assaults each breast.

I've been trying to hold back my moans and mewls, afraid that Prim will hear what we're doing behind my closed door, but Peeta's tongue traveling down my stomach to my wet center feels too good not to let out a few light sighs.

"I want to hear you," Peeta mumbles. He's dangerously close to giving me what I want, yet he's still too far away. I can't let Prim hear us so I keep my lips locked tight. "Katniss, I want to hear you."

"No," I make the mistake in saying.

"Oh Katniss," I feel Peeta back away from me entirely and I begin to feel a panicky feeling in the pit of my stomach. "You were doing so well but you disobeyed me. You have to be punished now."

The tie is pulled and it loosens enough for it to unravel around my wrists. The panicky feeling is increasing, what if Peeta walks away now? I'm so built up and dying for a release. What if my punishment is no orgasm? My tee shirt is removed from my body and I can see Peeta again. His blonde hair is still pristine and his blue eyes are shining. He doesn't look upset, but we are alike in that way' we can mask our feelings well.

"I'm going to spank you, Katniss," Peeta sits down on the edge of the bed and motions me to sit across his lap, so I do. I'm lying across his lap, with my butt in the air and my hands behind my back, locked into place by one of Peeta's large hands, and my face pressed into my duvet. "I want you to count the amount of times you are spanked."

I nod and Peeta fondles my behind gently. I'm not prepared for the first slap so when Peeta's hand leaves my skins for a moment before returning with a quick slap, I exhale out a large breath that I wasn't aware that I had been holding in. It's not too painful, though it stings and I'm sure I'll be sore come tomorrow.

"Count," Peeta reminds me.

"One," I tell him in a strong voice.

Again and then again. It hurts now, and Peeta is alternating where he's hitting to make sure the pain is spread out. But there is also something else, something else that is causing my wetness to seep out of me and down my thighs. Four, five.

"That's enough. Your skin is so beautiful when it's pink. I'm going to fuck you now, and I want to hear you, okay?"

I nod my head eagerly. I'll scream from the roof gladly if Peeta fucks me now. Peeta helps me to the middle of the bed, on my hands and knees, my pink ass on perfect display. I hear the telltale sound of Peeta's belt and zipper being undone and the crinkle of a condom packet being opened.

Peeta places his hands onto my hips and positions himself at my opening. "Okay Katniss, we'll start out slow, I don't want to hurt you. But as soon as your body is accommodated, I will not hold back. Remind me of the safe word," Peeta orders.

"Mockingjay," I reply.

"Very good."

I can feel Peeta enter me slowly. He groans loudly, pulling out then entering into me once again. It doesn't hurt; I'm so wet that Peeta is having little resistance from me. I'm wrapped around his heavy member like a tight hug, squeezing him, causing him to let out animalistic growls that are music to my ears.

"Let it out Katniss. I want to hear you."

This time I don't say no. I moan loudly and arch my back a little further. Peeta starts to quicken his pace, moving my hips back and forth for me. I'm completely at his demand, but I don't mind because I'm climbing higher and higher to that special place. Where only Peeta has ever taken me, where the only person I ever want to take me, higher and higher until I'm standing on the tip of Mount Everest and the air is thin and I'm looking down at the ant world below me.

Peeta moves his hands from my hips to palm my breasts to my hair where he wraps my braid around his fingers and pulls, yanking me up against his chest that is still covered in his dress shirt, the buttons dig into my back and cause a new sort of sensation. This new angle has Peeta hitting a spot deep inside me that has me involuntarily clenching around him and shouting out his name.

"F—f—f—fuck! Peeta," I shout as he slams into me harder and harder still.

"Do not come yet," Peeta orders me as he kisses up and down my neck.

I'm not sure how not to come. If Peeta keeps up with this punish rhythm then I will most certainly come, Peeta's demands be damned. I'm close, so close. I can taste the sweet release on the tip of my tongue.

"I'm close—I can't." I can't even form full sentence with the way my brain is being fogged up by this insane lust.

"I know Baby, I know. Just a few more minutes."

I nod and latch my fingers into his hair to anchor myself for what is about to come as I try to focus on anything other than Peeta constantly hitting that sweet spot inside me. Peeta tightens his hold on me around my torso with one arm while his other hand trails down my body to where we connect. I let out a shriek the moment Peeta's fingers press against my swollen clit. He works and works it until I'm begging, for what I'm not sure, but I am begging nonetheless.

"Come, Katniss."

It's as if his command sends me overboard. I'm coming so hard that black spots form right in front of me. I forget everything, how to think, how to form sentences, how to breathe. All that matters in this moment are the feelings are Peeta is causing me to feel and the sounds escaping his lips. I didn't think that it could possibly get any better than the first few times Peeta and I had sex but I swear that this experience, the tie, the not being able to see, the spanking, blew everything else out of the water. No wonder Peeta doesn't do the hearts and flowers bullshit. This is clearly what he's good at.

I'm vaguely aware that Peeta is pulling out of me and settling me down on the bed. I notice that his body heat is gone but I don't have the chance to miss him before he's back again.

"Sit up," Peeta tells me gently.

I do and Peeta helps put my shirt back on, then he's having me roll onto my stomach. Cool hands are massaging my bottom, soothing the angry red handprints. Peeta slips the sweatpants back onto me and crawls into bed, scooping me into his arms. I nuzzle my face into the crook of his neck and breathe in deep.

"Prim left to go to Bonnie's house. She said something about carpooling to the senior breakfast and rehearsal with her. Also Prim said that your mom called and she wasn't going to be home tonight."

"So you just let me think that Prim was here while you demanded me to let it all out while you fuck me silly?"

"It's about trust Katniss. You have to trust me with this stuff. I would never do anything you truly did not want to do. However I am sorry for making you believe that she was still here. I knew that you'd say no to me wanting you to be vocal, I just wanted to show you what one of the consequences would be if you don't listen."

"I don't listen very well."

"I know. It's one of the things I like about you."

"Really?" I question.

"Yeah, I'm so used to everyone doing what I tell them to do without a question. It's kind of nice to be second guessed. Not to mention that it will be fun trying to control that stubborn mouth of yours."

"I don't think you'll succeed."

"Me either, but just think of all the times I'll try."

I grin into Peeta's neck as I think of all the times Peeta will try to tame my stubborn ways.

"Go to sleep, we both have to be up early tomorrow."

"Wait, you're staying?" I pull back to look Peeta in the face.

"Is that okay? I don't think it would be very polite of me to fuck you like that then skip out, especially after the circumstances that brought me here in the first place."

"I just thought that you didn't sleep in the same bed as your slaves."

"There is that word again. You are not a slave Katniss. Slaves cannot leave whenever they please, they do not have a voice, nor do they have a choice. You have all three."

"I'm just not sure what to call myself."

"Companion, lover, sexual friend? Any will do," Peeta shrugs.

"Fine. I thought you didn't sleep in the same bed as your sexual friends."

"Normally I don't but I've broken all of my rules thus far, haven't I?" Peeta grins and kisses the tip of my nose gently.

"I like it when you break your rules."

"I think I like it too. Go to sleep, Katniss."

I close my eyes and wrap myself deeper into Peeta. The smell of his musky scent and his evening breath sends me into a tranquil sleep that I never want to escape from.


End file.
